When Tomorrow Comes
by Catiegirl
Summary: When Tomorrow Comes is the sequel to my AU, One More Day With You. It follows Anne and Gilbert after their engagement, until the summer after the two of them graduate. With prizes yet to be won and dreams to explore, Anne and Gilbert work together to prepare for whatever awaits them around the next bend in the road.
1. Chapter 1, Of Pearls and Promises

**For everyone who followed One More Day with You, thank you for returning for the sequel! I'm grateful to be telling another story, and I hope I can bring you some happiness while I'm doing it. I appreciate your feedback so much, and I hope you will continue to ask questions that prompt my imagination! I love and appreciate LMM's wonderful characters, I hope that any story I tell from this platform honours what she saw in Anne and Gilbert herself.**

 **So, if you are willing to trust me, and settle in for the long haul with a cuppa: to you Anne-Girls on here I would like to present** ** _When Tomorrow Comes._**

 **Cate.**

* * *

 ** _When Tomorrow Comes_**

Chapter 1

Twilight was falling over Avonlea, the glorious pink and saffron sunset surrendering to the deep indigo flooding from the east. Faint stars were beginning to appear over snow covered fields, and dark wooden fences crisscrossed the landscape in every direction.

A couple in heavy coats stood outside a horse and buggy in the lane, blissfully occupied in each other's touch and pointedly ignoring the open curtains in the window of the nearby farmhouse.

"Dearest, I'm sure this could wait until we are out of sight of the house." Anne Shirley said to Gilbert Blythe, with a little giggle. His reply was gruff, as he pulled her even closer.

"Maybe _you_ can wait. I haven't seen you in twenty-four hours. Mrs. Lynde can go ahead and scold me."

Anne laughed. "You needed to see your Uncle Dave, and I had the Ladies Aid benefit tea. I even spent some time with your mother there." He raised an eyebrow at her pointedly and moved to kiss her again, and she gave a sigh that echoed straight through him pleasurably.

"Would they miss us if we didn't show up?" he mumbled, barely moving from her mouth.

"Why, Gilbert Blythe!" Anne said, pulling away from his warm lips with a twinkle in her eyes. "You told me how much you wanted to go to the dance, you said you were looking forward to it!"

"That was before! This is now. I like _now_." he said crossly, sounding like the petulant boy he might have been two decades ago.

Anne chuckled. "I fear this doesn't bode well for our long engagement, darling."

Gilbert smiled then and rested his head against hers with a deep sigh.

"True. It is however what is before us, so I have to summon the grace to release you- for a few minutes, at least."

He handed her into the buggy carefully, and as he climbed in, he distinctly saw Mrs. Lynde peering through the kitchen window of Green Gables.

"She's watching again," he said mischievously, knowing exactly what Anne's reaction would be. She quickly turned and took his face in her hands, kissing him with enough force to make him slip sideways on the seat. Helpless laughter arose from the two of them, and after a moment Gilbert took his seat again and a hold of the reins still chuckling.

"We really shouldn't keep doing that; we might give her heart failure one of these days," Anne said guiltily

"Admit it, you enjoy it." he teased, making her laugh again as the buggy began to move.

"I really do," she said thoughtfully, and sighed, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm. "I missed this." She nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

"I missed you too."

"No, not just that, I missed you- _this_ is the you I missed while we were apart." She smiled up at him. "I missed your teasing, Gil- I missed the ever-so-slightly wicked you. I never saw that look on your face, I never saw any glimpse of the boy that would pull hair or pin braids to a seat."

Gilbert laughed incredulously. "You missed that fellow? The one you wouldn't speak to for five years?"

"The one I couldn't help being attracted to? Yes." Anne stated, her eyes twinkling. "The very one who tormented the Avonlea matrons with me, and wrote those Observer notes, and inspired at _least_ a dozen personal lectures from Mrs. Lynde. You'll have to remind me to tell you about the most recent."

He smiled down at her lovingly. "Maybe it takes you to bring it out in me."

Anne snorted then. "Oh? And who inspired you when you were a child? Your mother has been telling me stories, dear."

"Hmm. You must bring out my inner child. That doesn't bode well for us as parents, I'm afraid." he commented, with a saucy grin. "Are you sure you're up for a household full of Blythes in the future?"

"If I can handle their _father_ , I'm sure I can deal with anything," she said, with a conscious little smile. Suddenly an expectant silence came between them. He turned to her, his eyes tender, and she gazed up at him longingly. So much needed to remain unspoken, and yet Anne found herself wanting nothing more than the freedom to share every veiled thought, every unspoken dream that of late had filled her heart. She let out a deep breath and rested her head on his shoulder. For now, it was safer to leave things unsaid.

Gilbert pulled her closer to him, watching the emotions play across her face. His answering smile was loving, recognising the look in her grey eyes. It was the same one he knew reflected in his own.

* * *

The dance at the Avonlea Hall was in full swing by the time Anne and Gilbert arrived. Homely light shone down from the old fashioned lamps, painstakingly cleaned for the purpose of the evening by a disgruntled caretaker. Tables of food been set up on the left side of the hall, guarded carefully by the Avonlea matrons from young fellows who had more appetite for food than for dancing.

Anne could see some of her older students, now taking their first uncertain steps into the adult world. She smiled to see young girls fidgeting with pins in hair that had never been worn _up_ before, dancing with gangly youths who parading them awkwardly, trying not to step on skirts that bewilderingly now touched the floor. She smiled, remembering her own first dance with Gilbert.

When coats were stored and Gilbert met Anne at the door, hegrinned at her contentedly and raised her hand to his lips.

"This is our first appearance out together since becoming a betrothed couple." he whispered, noticing the curious glances they were receiving from some people in the crowd. "Any idea how you want to play this?" he teased. "As a besotted couple, or as college sophisticates?"

Anne chuckled. "I don't think anyone would be convinced by that, Gil. There are women here who would have wiped your nose when you were a young lad. And the first thing they usually remember about _me_ is the slate, and of course the red hair."

"The red hair I fell in love with." Gilbert pointed out. "And I think everyone here saw that long before _you_ did." He tucked her hand under his arm, smiling at the pearl ring his fingers brushed over. She smiled back, her eyes sparkling, thinking of the moment he had placed it there.

* * *

Within minutes of Anne's arrival at the Blythe farmhouse on Christmas day, Gilbert had whisked her off to the little parlour, barely giving Anne a chance to greet her future in-laws before he had closed the door firmly behind them.

He pulled her into his arms to enthusiastically reprise the wonderful kisses from the day before, the day she had promised to marry him. When several minutes had gone by, Anne pulled away with a slight giggle, reaching up to the lock of hair that Gilbert had dislodged.

"Was this what you spirited me away for, dearest?"

He grinned. "Not exactly. But it worked well, and I didn't hear any complaints from you."

Her face turned rosy pink, and she stepped away to the small mirror to replace a pin that had been moved. Gilbert came to stand behind her, his arms coming around her waist. She sighed then, with a little smile.

"Do you suppose we will get used to this?" she asked softly.

"Never." he murmured. "I'll never take it for granted that you love me." He smiled, and his tone changed then. "Now, I have a present for you."

Anne turned to him, with a bright smile. "And I have one for you; it is however waiting for you at Green Gables, for tonight."

"Then I will look forward to heading over there later. But for now, it's your turn." he said, his eyes merry.

He took her hand and led her over to the settee, and sat as closely as he could to her. Gilbert frowned in frustration, unable to pull the neatly wrapped package from his jacket pocket, and Anne laughed at the way he had to stand to pull it out only to reposition himself by her side. He handed her the little box, his body turned to face her with eager expectation. She gave him a little smile before turning her attention to opening the parcel.

Anne's fingers shook when she saw the little box and opened it carefully, letting out a little gasp when she saw what was inside. Three pearls, one larger and two smaller sat on a golden band, little vine-like twists of gold holding each pearl in place. Her lips trembled, and she reached out a hand to touch his cheek softly. "It's so lovely." she whispered.

Gilbert turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand, his breath catching.

"I found it in Kingsport. You told me one evening that you had just been reading _Of Pearls and Stars,_ and when I saw the ring I could only see you." His smile faltered a little then. "Anne, this is just your Christmas present, however, I wondered if you would like to wear it on your ring finger until I replace it with your actual engagement ring." he said, his voice hesitant. "A diamond takes a little longer to save for, you see." He grinned at her humbly, and was taken aback by the mutinous flash of green in her grey eyes, and the fierce way she took his face in her hands to kiss him passionately. When he came up for air, Anne held his face close to her own.

" _This_ will be my engagement ring." Anne said softly. "I think it is the most beautiful ring that ever was, and I will _not_ have you work for a diamond that I will not love as much as I love this."

Gilbert gave a little laugh, his hands running up and down her slender arms. "I thought you were over your prejudice against diamonds by now. It is the stone that signifies love, after all."

Anne shook her head, her smile loving. "It isn't the only one that signifies it, Gil. The scriptures never talked about the diamond of great price- it was always the _pearl_." she whispered, her fingers stroking the light stubble on his cheek. "You are the pearl of great price that I would give up anything for."

His kiss was tender, and he pulled back from her with a smile. "And you are mine."

She looked back into his eyes, a slight twinkle in them. "So this will be my engagement ring for all time, my love."

He chuckled at her stubbornness, holding her as closely as he was able to. "As you wish. You know, I nearly bought you a necklace. A little pink enamel heart. I'm glad I went with the ring instead."

* * *

Now, back in the crowded hall, Anne looked down at her pearls with a big smile, tucking both hands into the crook of Gilbert's arm. As the music ended for the first dance, Anne and Gilbert found themselves surrounded by people talking merrily. Diana, lovely in a peach coloured gown and Fred just behind clapping Gilbert on the shoulder, Charlie looking morose without his Dear Nicole to accompany him; Moody conversing with a serious young lady Anne had never met before, and Josie who walked over towards the group with an acidly sweet smile for the couple in the centre.

"Anne, I haven't seen you in that dress for years!" Josie said, conveying exaggerated surprise as she cut through the conversation around them. "I do admire the way you reuse clothing, it's such a _thrifty_ habit. Wouldn't you agree, Alyssa?" she said, turning to Moody's bewildered date. "And now I suppose you're here to show off that quaint little ring. It is as- _unique-_ as you are, Anne." she said, her nose in the air. "Actually, I'm surprised that someone who dated the richest man in Kingsport would settle for a mere farm-boy from Prince Edward Island- even if she _was_ an orphan from who knows where."

Anne's face had flushed by this point, however before she could give vent to the anger that was rapidly building, Diana had taken Josie's arm.

"Josie, could you please show me which of the tarts you made?" she asked, her pulling her away from Anne and Gilbert. "You know, my mother is most firm on the quality of pastry, and says that mine is too heavy for such light delicacies. I would be ever so grateful to get some tips from you if I could." She steered a surprised Josie away from Anne, much to Gilbert's relief. He fought to suppress a chuckle at the furious look on Anne's face.

Fred shook his head. "She hasn't got less catty over the years, has she? Glad you never got caught by that." he said bluntly, causing Gilbert to laugh. He then squeezed Anne's hand.

"Do we need to take a little turn outside?" he asked drolly.

Anne took a deep breath, and turned to her mischievous fiancé with a frown. "I'll be fine. I _do_ begin to think at times that Christine has competition." she said grimly.

"You know she's just jealous, Anne-girl. When you come back home all eyes are drawn to you again."

Anne chuckled. "Only _you_ would think that. And I think she is more jealous about _you_ , Mr Blythe. All of the Avonlea mothers were hoping to add you to their family, weren't they?"

His look was earnest then. "I only wanted you, sweetheart." He looked around at the people milling in the room, his brow lowered.

"You know, it feels like there are people missing." he said, absently tracing the shell-pink nails on her fingers.

Anne looked out at the room, her head on one side, considering. "I suppose Jane is. Diana had a letter from her recently, her contract was renewed at the Winnipeg school for another year, she seems very happy there." She looked around her thoughtfully and then sighed. "And Ruby would have been here," she said softly, resting her head on Gilbert's shoulder. "Most likely married to Mr Spencer by now, with a dear little blonde baby on each arm. She always wanted little children."

Gilbert turned his head, his face in her red curls. "I know." He gave a little chuckle then. "She used to borrow the cats when she wanted to play babies, whenever she and her mother would come to see us. I can still see her little white dress chasing after the cross old ginger cat that lived in the barn."

They stood there for a little while, looking out on the moving crowd in silence. Anne's face had turned into Gilbert's shoulder, and a sigh went through her.

"What is it?" he asked, looking down on her pensive face. It was a moment before she would answer, as she watched nearby couples in their progression up the line of dancers.

"Gil, Ruby had such promise, so many plans for her life." Anne turned to him, her face wistful. "Do you suppose that all of our plans could somehow not come to fruition either?" she asked him after a moment.

Gilbert held her hand tighter, turning his body to stand in front of her, thus hiding their conversation from the rest of the room. His voice was gentle. "Sweetheart, this is the first new year where we are starting it together. We are beginning it knowing each other's hearts, knowing how precious we are to each other, and how much love there is between us." He took her other hand in his and brought them to his chest. "No matter what happens, I'm planning a long life with you. We're going to be husband and wife, we will raise a family to be as dreamy and as mischievous as you and I both were." Gilbert watched her smile, a little tear in her eye shining under the lights like a tiny diamond. "We cared about Ruby and we miss her, but she lived the life she was given. And I'm telling you, the one _we_ have been given is meant to be together." His hazel eyes looked down into her eyes affectionately.

Anne looked up at him, a little smile on her face. "No matter what?" she whispered.

"No matter what. For every tomorrow that comes, we are _together_. And that's all that matters."

His intense gaze fell to her lips, his own coming closer before abruptly stopping. Anne suddenly smiled.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

" _You_ , Gil." she teased in an undertone. "You nearly kissed me in front of everyone then, admit it."

He laughed, his cheeks flushing. "Alright, I nearly did. Now you see why I didn't want to come. I think we get more time on our own in Kingsport." he said, his voice wry.

Her eyes twinkled at him, and she tucked her hand in his, turning him to face the long room. His throat caught at the intimacy of her tone, as she moved her mouth to his ear.

"Never mind, dearest. Just wait for an Avonlea Summer."

* * *

Over the supper tables, Anne and Gilbert made plans to spend some time with Diana and Fred, whom they would be leaving in a little over a week. Diana had Anne in stitches with little comments about the side effects of pregnancy, and at her astonishment at her dress not sitting the way it had two weeks ago. Gilbert and Fred had stepped outside to escape the stifling room, leaving the two girls on a bench watching the action in the room.

On an impulse, Diana spoke to her, as they watched the waltz beginning. "Watching you and Gilbert is certainly eye-opening." she commented, with a little smile.

Anne started at her comment. "Whatever do you mean, Di?"

Diana was careful as she spoke. "I have never seen two people more obviously in love. Or more attracted to each other, either."

Anne's face was pink as she studied Diana. "Does something worry you, Diana?" she asked.

"No. Well- not really." Doubting her wisdom for bringing it up in a busy hall, she looked at her beloved friend earnestly. "I've just never seen you this happy- now I wonder how I ever could have thought you loved anyone else." she finished, smiling at the deepening colour of Anne's cheeks.

"I know."

Diana took Anne's hand in her own and smiled, the dimples in her cheeks showing. "And darling, I cannot _wait_ to begin organising your wedding in a few years' time."

Di meant more than that. It had been on her mind to speak to her, however her Anne's gifts of quick wit and ready words were not her own, and she feared getting herself into a pregnancy-brain muddle. On the night Anne and Gilbert had announced their engagement, she herself had been so excited that she had cried- not that that was anything to remark at these days. However, even Fred had commented on the closeness of the pair when they had gone home, saying cryptically that medical school could lose its appeal before the year was out.

Her own three-year engagement was still fresh in her own mind; six months of marriage had still not removed the wonder at waking up next to Fred every morning. The pride in their dear little home, the growing farm, and the way his hands would press her waist trying to feel their baby each morning left her as giddy as a schoolgirl. The three-year wait had at times seemed interminable- Fred had even gone to her father after two years had passed, asking that the timeframe be amended, but her parents were adamant that they wanted her at home for one more year. He had appeared to submit to their request with complete respect and courtesy, however only Diana knew that Fred took his frustration out on the tumbledown shack at the back of the property, left over from the days before Abraham Fletcher built his bride a home.

Diana brought herself back with a shake of her head. She watched a laughing Gilbert and Fred approaching, Fred to walk to her side with a big smile, and Gilbert to take Anne's hand as she leaned against him contentedly. Diana gave a happy sigh. Three-year wait or no, the two of them belonged together. Turning to her husband, Di surprised him with an unapologetically public kiss, prompting Fred's face to redden boyishly, and Mrs Blair to ask Mrs Sloane what the younger generation were coming to.

At twenty minutes to midnight, Fred was putting his protesting wife into the buggy, and Gilbert and Anne likewise drove away contentedly.

"Are we becoming anti-social?" Anne asked, shivering in the cool wind. Gilbert tucked the blanket around her, holding her close to him.

"I only want to see the new year in with you, Anne-girl, not Josie or Charlie, or all of those everlasting busy-bodies." he said firmly. "This time is just for _us_."

When they reached Green Gables, they saw that a light had been left on in the kitchen for Anne. Gilbert walked her inside and smiled, checking his watch.

"There. We made it with ten minutes to spare."

Anne chuckled, putting her arms around his waist. "That _was_ well planned, wasn't it?"

Gilbert pulled her close to him, his breath warm on her cheek.

"I wanted us to be alone for this particular celebration." he said softly. "This last year has incorporated some of the worst and best times of my life- but it was worth everything we suffered to be standing her with you now, knowing that we belong to each other. Anne, to have you in my heart, and to know that I'm in yours is the best thing that could ever happen to me." He bent his head to kiss her then, a soft kiss that began to build in intensity as the two of them stood together.

Anne sighed, her arms slipping around his neck, as she pulled him closer to her. She looked into his beloved face, her candid grey eyes on his.

"I love you, Gil." She smiled at him then. "You know, we have a _very_ big year ahead of us. Together?"

Gilbert lifted her from the ground then, delighting in the feel of her body held tight against his. He grinned at her triumphantly. " _Always_ together."

The clock over the mantelpiece began to strike, and Anne pressed her lips to Gilbert's again, as the snow began to fall outside. Gilbert remembered the promise he had made to himself exactly one year ago at that moment- the promise that he would get over her, or die trying. As her sweet scent and sweeter kiss engulfed every sense on this night, he thanked God that New Years' resolutions were made to be broken.


	2. Chapter 2, Dreams Near and Far

**Chapter 2**

The little fire crackled and spat in the grate of the parlour of Green Gables. Gilbert lifted his head from the closely written notebook to stretch, moving the book he had been taking notes from to the table. The crisp winter evening was growing long, and not a word had been spoken in an hour between the only two inhabitants of the cozy room. He yawned and moved restlessly. The interest in his chemistry notes had long since palled, and he found himself wanting to fling them as far as he could from him. He rubbed his eyes in a dreamlike state and looked around to see what Anne was doing.

Her textbook had fallen to the floor and she was staring dreamily into the fire, her sheaf of notes hanging carelessly from one slim white hand. He smiled, enjoying the sweet unconsciousness of her demeanor. Her red hair was in one long braid over her shoulder, and he found himself watching her in wonder.

Was it possible he had fallen asleep and found himself in the days of their youth again? Anne could easily be her younger self in the way she sat on the chair, her feet on the chair tucked under her blue skirts. They were days where they had studied and dreamed together, carefully hiding anything of a more personal nature between them. Nights of anxiety, where his biggest fear was that one of the other boys would beat him to Anne's side, that she would prefer somone else to _him_.

Gilbert smiled then, seeing his pearl ring on the hand her chin rested on, knowing that those days would not return again. It was then that she looked across to him, her face breaking into a bright smile at Gilbert's contented face. She held out her hand to him. He shook his head with a grin, patting the sofa beside him.

"We won't fit on your chair, sweetheart. Not unless we want another scolding."

She laughed then, and crossed on stockinged feet to the sofa, tumbling upon it with a little sigh. He drew her into his arms, bending his head to catch the scent of rose on her skin.

"Did you finish your notes?" she asked.

"Almost. I will tomorrow. Mother's taking Dad into town to get his cast taken off, and to get the final check on his back done before he starts back on the farm." He chuckled then. "Dad's fine, I think. He's been chasing me around the farm anyway, making sure I'm doing everything right. He made me redo the equipment shed twice yesterday." He lay back against the arm of the sofa, settling Anne comfortably in his arms again. "And in a few days Samuel Buote starts work with Dad, so he'll have help when I go."

"And no more Farmer Gil." she teased lightly.

He sighed. "I was really afraid Dad wouldn't be able to go back to work, this time." He ran his fingers along the thick copper braid that lay on his chest, his throat closing at the intimacy of the moment. "Could you have settled for me being a farmer if I had to, Anne?" he asked her, his voice hesitant.

She looked up at him with a surprised look. "Of course, Gil. I mean, I am exceptionally glad for your father, I'm gladder still for you that you have this chance to pursue your dreams, but what you _do_ isn't important to me. No matter what you chose." she said, with a little sigh and a convincing snuggle into his arms.

"Good."

They lay there for some minutes in silence, the warmth of the fire soothing worries away.

"So what were you just thinking about?" Gilbert asked, recalling her faraway stare. To his surprise, Anne began to laugh.

"Oh, just a memory."

"Ah. It must be the slate."

"I have other memories, you goose. I was just building castles for you and I to occupy." Her hand stroked his cheek, and Gilbert sat up slightly to look at her, his brow raised at her impish smile.

"And the _reason_ those castles make you laugh, Miss Shirley?"

She settled herself against his chest with a huge smile. "It's a long story. When Di and I were younger, we talked a lot about our home of dreams. And in my imagination, I built a giant castle, and then considered the man who would walk the marble halls with me."

"And he wasn't me," Gilbert said dryly. This made Anne break into another peal of laughter, and he looked at her puzzled.

"Oh Gil, it actually _was_. That was the funniest thing. There _was_ a tall, melancholy suitor roaming the halls, however I couldn't seem to imagine him any closer than that, no matter how hard I tried. And while I was busy furnishing the home in my imagination, to my utter bewilderment it was you walking with me every time, choosing furniture and arguing with me over where the pictures should go. You roamed the gardens with me, and were helping me in the kitchen- and most unsettlingly, you were assisting me in laying sheets on a bed. You can imagine that completely upset my eighteen-year-old decorum. And any time I thought about my house of dreams, you were always there." she said, looking up at him with a smile. "I suppose my subconscious knew my heart better that I did."

Gilbert's smile was huge, and he kissed the top of her head. "I always saw you in my home as well," he said, with a little twinkle in his eye. "And we definitely weren't arranging furniture. Although I sometimes pictured you making me tea."

Anne jumped and then blushed inexplicably, and Gilbert looked at her in concern.

"Something about tea unsettles you, Anne?" he asked, quizzically. "I could always _help_ you make it-"

Anne turned to face him with a little chuckle, stopping his words with her fingers. She put her arms around his neck tenderly. "I would be delighted to make you tea in our house of dreams, sir. I look forward to it." Anne sighed then, one hand playing with his loosened tie, smoothing it on his broad chest. "Gil, are you thinking about next year at all?"

He gave a dry chuckle. "Anne, it's _all_ I'm thinking about."

Anne sat up then, surprised. "Oh?"

He shrugged, looking at her candidly. "Well, either I'm beginning medical school, and we start a three-year countdown to being able to marry, or I have to decide whether I can make being a doctor possible or not." He saw the look of shock on her face and quickly shook his head. "Look, it's just a possibility. And I _am_ planning on winning that scholarship."

Anne sat back a little, speechless. She tried to find her voice then. "I never thought there was another option for you, Gil. Being a doctor is your dream."

He pulled her close again, ignoring the little look of worry on her face. "It is. But if you think I would ask for you to wait for the five and a half years it would take to earn my way through and attend medical school as well- and yes, I worked that out, assuming I got a top level BA qualified teaching position." He shook his head. "I don't think I could ask that of you. And I don't want to wait that long, either."

Anne had a little frown on her face. "But I _would_ wait, Gilbert."

"But I won't _ask_ you to. And this is irrelevant, I'm working to win that thing," he said firmly, giving her the cheeky grin that she loved. Anne studied his face with a little frown, her head on one side. She opened her mouth to continue to argue, however, he only kissed her quickly, before asking a question of his own.

"Have _you_ given any thought to next year?"

Anne's look was wistful, as she looked out on the little room, pulling his arms around her. "I suppose I will start applying for schools." She turned to look into his eyes. "I could try to stay near Kingsport-" she faltered.

Gilbert sighed. "I think you need to apply everywhere, Anne-girl. It's only sensible."

Her profile was visible to him, and so he saw the first tear fall down her cheek. "Hey, hey- we don't need to do this," he whispered, holding her tightly. "We don't know what this term will bring. We will take it one day at a time, we will enjoy the next few months together. We're going to study, and make plans, and graduate together. We're going to be fine."

Anne burrowed her face in his shoulder, momentarily feeling like a little child. After Redmond, could she go back to a world where she did not get to see his beloved face every day? To feel his arms around her, to feel that everything was alright because Gilbert was there? The thought of being apart from him now was terrifying- and somewhere deep inside, Anne knew that such dependence had _always_ made her afraid. She closed her eyes and sighed. It was a problem for another day.

All too soon Gilbert said reluctantly that he should be going. Anne walked him to the kitchen to retrieve his coat, and they stood in the doorway, a little smile on each face.

"Are you still coming for luncheon at my house tomorrow?"

Anne beamed. "I am. Your mother was most adamant on that point. Something about looking through old letters?" she said, laughing at Gilbert as he groaned.

"Look, you don't really want to read all of those letters from Alberta-" he said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, but I _do_ ," she said innocently, tilting her red head. "I want to know exactly what a pre-Anne Gilbert was thinking about. And your mother said something about showing me your christening gown and dear little booties, too."

Gilbert's eyes narrowed, and he caught Anne around the waist firmly. "You can tease all you like, Miss Shirley. Just know this- anytime my mother is looking at _them_ , she's trying to picture those on dear little red-headed babies that _we_ have yet to make." He grinned wickedly before kissing her surprised mouth, and waltzed out the door with a mischievous- "Night, sweetheart."

Anne watched him walk down the lane until he disappeared from sight, and then closed the door behind her with an odd little smile. As she headed up the stairs, Anne was surprised to see Rachel poke her head out of her rooms as she walked past the door.

"Why, child, it's almost eleven. Surely Gilbert hasn't just left?" she asked, her eyes disapproving.

"We were only studying, Mrs Lynde. And talking."

Rachel sniffed. "I should think you could get most of your talking done during daylight hours, Anne. The evening is _no_ time for an engaged couple to be talking."

Anne attempted to keep the smile from her face. "In the future, we shall certainly aim to keep our conversations to a minimum at night time, Mrs Lynde," she said gravely.

"You also cannot be too careful about the issues you discuss, Anne, as I warned you the other day. Did you converse on any of the subjects I suggested?" she asked imperiously.

Anne gave her a strange little smile. "Oh, we found some things to talk about."

"Such _as_?"

"Nothing big." she said, her eyes dreamy as she turned to go. "Just tea- and babies."

* * *

On the Thursday before Anne and Gilbert were scheduled to leave, the Green Gables folk and the Wrights descended on the normally quiet Blythe farm for tea. Cora was in her element with the noise and bustle of the room, allowing Dora and Anne to assist her in carrying tea and sandwiches to all of the guests. Davy had begged to follow the men out to the barn, where Mr Blythe was showing Fred the seed he had been stockpiling for the spring planting. A faintly bored Gilbert took Davy to the loft, demonstrating the swing he had rigged from the rafters when he was just fourteen. Davy laughed at the twenty-four-year-old, who had to admit with a grin that he wasn't as proficient at the sport as he used to be.

Inside, Mrs Lynde gave her opinions freely to all, as the women chatted amiably amongst themselves. Diana was given a good deal of conflicting advice on what a new mother could expect and was only deflected by Cora asking for her assistance. She drew Marilla into a conversation about a possible date for the engagement party in the summertime before the men were summoned for their own tea.

After a little while, Anne found herself sitting on the settee with Gilbert, watching the group talk merrily.

"Do you think they will do this when we are gone?" he asked her, looking into her grey eyes in contentment.

Anne smiled. "Oh, I think so. Marilla asked your parents to come for lunch on Sunday, saying that if they were all going to be missing us, everyone may as well do it together."

Diana came to sit in the chair next to Anne with a little sigh. "Must the two of you really leave in the morning?" she asked wistfully.

"I'm afraid so, Di. We need the extra days to allow for possible delays on the journey." Anne said practically. "This time last year the ferry was delayed by a day, and Priss, Stella and I were stranded in Charlottetown- luckily Stella's family took us all home for the night."

Gilbert's eyebrows were at the top of his forehead at that. "Anne, I didn't know that happened to you. What of Charlie and Moody? They never mentioned anything when they returned."

Anne put a hand on his arm, seeing the self-reproach that occasionally still surfaced. "We were fine. Stella's family hadn't left for home yet, and wouldn't think about leaving us there. It was an adventure, Gil; one that we have often laughed about. That was why we were a day late for classes last January."

He sighed. "I just wish I'd known."

Anne gave him a little push, her smile cheeky. "Don't be silly, Gil. I'm sure there are things that happened to you that I have no idea about as well."

He gave her a patronising look that made her laugh. "Well, I never got lost getting to college, anyway."

Diana begged him to tell them some stories, and Fred came over to sit with them, hearing tales of the Lambs, of chemistry experiments gone wrong, and a story of Gilbert getting knocked out by an oar while on practices with the rowing team.

Anne was silent, watching his animated face describing his exploits. The last made her shiver, as it had the first time she had heard it from Phil over the breakfast table one morning. A classmate had been eager to tell the story to the belle of the junior year, and Phil had freely told it as a joke the following day. Gilbert had been knocked from the boat, and it had taken his classmates to pull him from the water, barely conscious. A day in bed with a bad headache had resulted, hovered over by a very grim Mrs Saunders. Anne knew that much. Unable to endure not knowing, she had found Charlie on campus and asked him how Gilbert was recovering. Through his inevitable Sloanishness, she had heard enough to be assured of Gilbert's recovery. She had been very quiet that evening though, and Anne had gone to sleep that night with her lamp resolutely burning.

Anne sighed. From time to time regret would wash over her, at the needless estrangement that had cost them so much time. She knew Gilbert felt it as well, and it was with an effort that she pulled herself back into the present. She looked up to see Marilla on the other side of the room looking at some photographs hanging on the walls. She gave Gilbert's hand a little squeeze and moved to join her.

Marilla felt her at her elbow and gave her a brief smile. Anne looked at the picture Marilla was in front of, a class standing in front of a smaller Avonlea schoolhouse.

"Does any of this bother you, Marilla? Being here?" Anne asked hesitantly.

"What, child?" Anne only looked back at Marilla, and then the older woman chuckled. "This? No. Old history is just that- old history." Marilla looked contentedly at the other pictures on the wall, of relatives long gone, and a few of Gilbert himself as a child. "When the two of you began teaching and began to spend so much time together, Cora came around to visit one day while you were at school. She said she felt it was high time for her to get to know us better."

Anne's surprise was visible. "I never knew that."

Marilla laughed. "I dare say you were busy enough, back then. The two families have had plenty of time to get to know each other; I dare say we will be amicable in-laws once the two of you are married."

Anne put her arms around the older woman, and for a brief moment, Marilla held her close, before giving her a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'm very happy for the two of you," she said, with a little smile. "We will miss you, though."

Gilbert and his father approached the two of them carefully, not wanting to interrupt the moment between them. John's arm was still bandaged but was able to move freely without the sling. He gave Marilla a twinkling look.

"So I understand we will be picking you up at six in the morning, Anne?"

"Yes. That should mean we will be ready for the train at seven, and we meet up with the girls in Charlottetown by ten." Anne said, with a smile for Gilbert.

Marilla looked at the young couple appraisingly. "You seem quite eager to go back this time."

Gilbert grinned. "We are, I suppose. There's a lot to do before we graduate, and we're down to months now, not years."

"And what then?" she asked.

Gilbert took Anne's hand and held it tightly in his own, his gaze gentle and confident. "And then we see what is around that bend in the road."

* * *

The trip from Bright River to Charlottetown was a delight to Anne and Gilbert. Moody had thoughtfully left the couple to a separate carriage, dragging an indignant Charlie along with him. He chuckled slightly. The way the two of them were looking at each other, he very much doubted that anyone would want to remain in close proximity to the lovers.

Two hours of talking, in which hands spoke as eloquently as words filled the little carriage, and it was with some reluctance that they saw the countryside change the closer they came to the town.

Gilbert sighed, Anne's hand securely in his. "Almost back to work," he commented.

Anne laughed. "I think we have been very busy at work through the holidays, Gil. Your father's recovery, our engagement, two Christmas dinners and various social outings; we've studied and walked through every clear pathway we could find in the woods. Diana and I planned my dress for Convocation and also began to furnish the baby's room. And then if we weren't at Green Gables, we were at your house." She mock-swooned onto his shoulder. "I think I need to go back to Redmond for a rest, dearest," she said with a saucy grin. Gilbert laughed, putting his arm around her then.

"Summer may not be much better. Mother has started planning the engagement party for early June, despite me asking for a few weeks to get settled back at home after the term ends." He looked at Anne, seeing the pensive look cross her face.

"Sweetheart, we're ready for this. I promise that we will get through the next five months well and that everything will happen exactly as it is supposed to. And then I promise I will say ' _I told you so._ " he said, quickly kissing the cheek that nuzzled into his shoulder.

"You really know with such confidence?" Anne said with a smile, her fingers caressing his determined chin.

Gilbert's grin was huge, as he looked at the girl beside him. "How did Mr Carroll put it? His Red Queen believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. _You_ , my darling girl- the dream of being with you is the most impossible thing I have ever believed in. With you sitting beside me, I can believe in _anything_."


	3. Chapter 3, Return to Redmond

**Chapter 3**

When the train from Bright River arrived at the Charlottetown station, Stella and Priscilla were waving madly from the platform. Stella's older brother stood beside them with their bags, looking awkward at the undignified display of his sister and the vivacious Priscilla. Anne was swept up into the fray with loud cries, while Gilbert grinned and went to see to their bags. Charlie and Moody were there already and talking about the months to come.

"Of course my parents will be coming for graduation." he said loftily. "What about you, Blythe?"

Gilbert shook his head. "Not this time."

Moody sighed. "Lucky fellows," he grumbled. "I won't graduate till long after you're gone."

Gilbert slapped him on the back. "Cheer up, Reverend. I'll still be in Kingsport next year if all goes well. And you're boarding with us for the rest of this year."

Moody looked a shade more cheerful. His own boarding house would soon be gone; his landlady was moving west to care for an elderly relative. Gilbert had written to the Saunders while he was in Avonlea, and as a result Moody would be moving in the following week.

Gilbert himself could hardly contain his grin. Only a few more months to go now, and he could get started on his ambitions. He had spent time with the doctor who had been seeing to his father, and was convinced that medicine was something he would enjoy. He glanced over to where Anne's hand was being grabbed by an exuberant Priscilla, and Stella was examining the pearl circlet with interest. His smile was the widest as he saw her red head turn towards him, her look loving. How could he be this lucky? He was living in a world that had seemed impossible to him not too many months ago.

His last trip to Kingsport, the day after the storm had been a sleep-deprived nightmare. Leaving Bright River late in the afternoon meant an overnight crossing, and he had lain on his berth in the darkness, trying to accustom himself to the rise and fall of the boat. He dully thought that the movement only echoed inside himself- the line between madness and sanity seemed to rise and fall as he did. Going over everything that had happened since the wedding in his head, flinching at the harshness of the words that had flown out of his mouth at her. She wouldn't speak to him again, even if he _did_ stay. She shouldn't.

But she _had_ kissed him… even now in the hard little bed he could still feel her tears on his face, the softness of her lips on his. The way she had held his face in her hands as he had always dreamed of her doing. For one brief moment they had existed as one- even then he had acknowledged how right it was that she should be there- and then she was gone.

He had passed the night in a sleepless misery, feeling as if he himself was underwater. How he had changed from the boat to the train he didn't know, he was in the carriage before he realised he was on land again. In the cold light of early dawn, a sudden thought pierced him sharply as he swayed with the movement of the train. He may be inexplicably bound to her- but she was to him as well. There was _something_ there. She had to see that- or else surely she wouldn't have done it.

* * *

Back in the present, Gilbert gave their bags to the porter to add to the ones bound for Nova Scotia, his heart thundering with joy. She was his- she would journey _with_ him now. He could finally sit on the boat with her hand in his, put an arm around her in public. He chuckled then. The trick would be maintaining a decorous distance from someone who clearly did not _want_ an appropriate distance between them. In the lively talk all the way from Bright River, she had taken his hand, batted him away teasingly, put her arm through his and even kissed his cheek. He had forgotten at times the affectionate nature Anne had- when they were younger he had envied the way she could link arms with Diana, and Ruby and Jane, the sight of the girls running hand in hand down Lovers Lane after school, waltzing together playfully at the dance. He'd dreamed of this, dreamed of being the object of her affection, and yet nothing could have prepared him for the reality of it- the ready way words of love flowed from her lips; the way her laugh affected him, and the joy that he could make it happen so easily. The way she would touch him on the hand or arm, simply telling him that she was there. And underneath, the comradeship that had been there for so long, the understanding each had of the other.

Oh, and that skin…

"Blythe? Are you paying attention?" Charlie said crossly. "I had to tip the porter for you." He followed Gilbert's eyes, and rolled his own goggled blue ones. "You're getting more like her by the minute. How the two of you do so well on exams beats me."

Gilbert turned back, his look teasing. "Come on, Charles. Isn't Nicole waiting in Kingsport for you? Why so sullen?"

Charlie's long nose went into the air. "Just because I don't behave like a lovesick idiot doesn't mean anything. Nicole will meet me as usual for luncheon on Monday at the college."

Gilbert's eyebrow rose. "You're waiting until Monday? You know you could go and see her before then."

"I need to spend the weekend unpacking. _Some_ of us can control ourselves." he said waspishly. Gilbert laughed and left him to his musings then, suggesting that they join the ladies to find somewhere that served a decent cup of tea.

* * *

The boat steamed out of the harbour two hours later, and Gilbert turned to face Anne, who stood next to him at the railing, a contented look on her face.

"Happy, Anne-girl?"

Her smile was huge, as she watched Charlottetown grow smaller in the distance. "Very much so. As much as I will miss home, I'm making up my mind to enjoy the rest of the winter and the springtime in Kingsport with you and the girls, irrespective of exams looming in the distance."

He put his arm around her lovingly, drawing her to a seat nearby. Other passengers walked by now and then, however the couple had some space to talk in privacy. Priss and Stella had gone inside to avoid the chill of the ocean breeze, and a green Charlie and Moody were seeing the stewardess for ginger tea and brown paper bags as per usual. Gilbert didn't bother asking if she wanted to go in, he knew that she would remain outside until they could no longer see the Island. He tightened his arm around her and pulled her scarf- _his_ scarf- around her warmly.

"I have a meeting with Professor Fredrickson next week. He's the one overseeing the Cooper Prize this year. He's meeting with all the candidates to discuss strategies." he said to her offhandedly.

Anne looked at him, and with a little smile brushed the knot of his tie with her fingers. Gilbert's intelligence and drive were things that she found irresistible, and she felt the pride burgeoning within her at the goals he set for himself.

"You will rest, won't you dearest? Your mother gave me the _strictest_ instructions-"

Gilbert laughed incredulously. "Anne-girl, you know I've been looking after myself for a while now. You're not listening to all of her worrying, are you?"

"Well, nooo-" she trailed. "But she's just worried that you might overwork, or not eat enough."

Gilbert gave her a wry look. "I'll give you the overworking. But if you recall, my eating is _fine_. Do you honestly think Mrs Saunders would let me starve?"

Anne chuckled. "No, I suppose not." Her look at him was tender. "You can't blame your mother, you know. It must have hurt her terribly to see how thin you were last summer." She paused then, swallowing. "It hurt _me_ to see you like that."

Gilbert sighed, his chin resting on her head. "It hurt me to see you looking so unhappy too."

Anne cuddled into his side for a moment. Suddenly she sat back up to view him with twinkling eyes. "Oh, this is ridiculous. Look at us, Gil. Looking back again at our former sorry selves, rather than at the happiness we are enveloped in now. I suggest we begin to look _forward_ again. To finishing college-" she started.

"To finally attaining our dreams and graduating-" he added, with a roguish grin.

"And doing it hand in hand, as we always said we would." Anne finished merrily.

Gilbert's eyes narrowed teasingly. "And am I still bringing you Lilies of the valley for Convocation? Or have your tastes matured since then?"

Anne laughed and put her hand in the crook of his arm. "Lilies sound lovely, Gil. But you know if you bring me a sprig of rosemary I will treasure it in the same way."

His eyebrow lifted. "Sweetheart, Rosemary is for remembrance. I'm hardly likely to forget you, am I?"

Her smile was bright. "And Lily of the Valley is for the return of happiness. And Gilbert Blythe, I think I can happily say that ours _has_."

Gilbert looked around him, and to his delight saw that they were alone on the deck. He smiled and pressed a long kiss to her very willing lips. When Charlottetown finally dipped under the horizon, he suggested then that they go inside and join the girls for lunch.

* * *

At nine o clock that night, six weary travellers stepped off the train, dusty and dishevelled. The ladies were to go in one cab and the gentlemen in another, and Anne and Gilbert said a swift goodbye while the luggage was being loaded.

Gilbert's arm was around her, and he looked down at her with a smile. "Our first trip to Redmond accomplished together."

"We've travelled together before, Gil," Anne reminded him, with a yawn.

"Never when I could kiss you, though," he teased, and sighed. "Well, it looks like you're ready to go. I'll come over tomorrow afternoon if you're free."

"That would be lovely. Plan of having dinner with us; Jo will be there as well, and you know Aunt Jimsie loves it when she has a gentleman to lay the fire." Anne said sleepily. Gilbert brought her in for a hug, and helped her into the cab, waving at Stella and Priscilla. He then climbed into his own with Moody and a still grumbling Charlie, and lay his head back on the seat with a slight smile.

The smile was still in place when he climbed into bed some time later. It had originated in an idea- a musing that began when he was leaving the train earlier that day, his own bags and Anne's in hand. There was a tightening in his chest as he heaved them onto the cart, thinking of a day when they would leave Avonlea together, and travel as one. He would take her bags with his own to their room, and they would never be apart again. He would close the door behind them and take his wife in his arms- his _wife_! _Anne would be his wife!_

Gilbert stretched back on his bed, looking at the way the street lamps cast light on the ceiling. He'd grown used to the sound of the wind outside of his family home again, rustling through the fir trees that surrounded the farm. The sounds of the city at night were unfamiliar once again, and he turned over on the squeaky mattress with a groan. Hidden in his pillow, the smile blossomed on his face again, and when at last he fell asleep, it was with thoughts of his beloved girl nestled in his arms, and of falling asleep together to the gentle patter of rain against the window.

* * *

The first week was over before the fourth year students could draw a breath. Assignments that had been put off until after the holidays suddenly had close deadlines, and decisions needed to be made on extra classes quickly.

The girls of Patty's place spent Thursday night with paperwork in front of the fireplace.

"Well, this is _ridiculous_." Phil said crossly. "I have extra classes all next week, and Professor Wheeler has added another assignment due in a fortnight. Do they expect us to get any sleep during the last term? What is the point of higher education, if you only end up making yourself ill by the time you finish?"

Anne laughed, as she pulled her papers together. She had been advised to aim high with her English units, and was now trying to decide what to focus her dissertation on. Stella had decided not to specialise at the beginning of the year, saying that the broader the base, the better a teacher. She and Anne had taken to checking papers regarding possible teaching positions for the following year, and Anne had begun to compile a list of schools currently seeking degree-qualified teachers.

"Phil, what do you intend to do with your degree?" Stella asked suddenly, throwing her notes to the floor beside her.

Phil's curls bounced as she turned her head curiously. "What do you mean?"

Stella folded her arms. "I heard from someone that you are almost guaranteed one of the top places in the Mathematics department, and it will probably only be Gil who could top you. When you are tending Jo's flock in the slums, what will happen to all this hard work?" she said, with a frown.

Phil put her sheets down as well, taking a little while to answer her. "Well, I'll always have it, my degree won't actually go anywhere. I just won't be using it every day." she said logically.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Well, I know _that_ , silly. I mean- do you ever wish to do something bigger with it?"

Phil laughed. "Honey, I'm really not cut out to be a teacher- and neither am I hankering for the life of a dry Mathematics academic, making a life study of why the differential equation works for all values of _t._ I don't want that- but I'm thrilled to prove that I can. I've worked hard to prove that I can do it, to the college as well as to myself."

"But when you're visiting sick people with soup, and trying to stop the weekly prayer meeting from splitting the church, what point is it?" Stella persisted, with a smile.

To her surprise, Phil didn't come back with a witty remark. She looked into the fire for a time, and finally turned to her friend. "Because the degree is about _me,_ " she said simply. "There are so many things that are true of me- I'm the daughter of Andrew Gordon, my family is rich and I'm perceived as spoilt and entitled. And while that may be true, it's not the _only_ thing that is. I'll always know that I can go toe to toe with anyone in my field, whether it is arguing calculus with my children's poor teachers, or even just making our accounts line up. I'll always be glad I earned this."

With a surprised look at each other, the three girls applauded Phil, to which she gave a little bow. "There, my dears. You always wanted me to be serious, and now you've seen what that's like."

Priscilla gave a mock shudder. "Oooh, it's unsettling. Change back quickly, there's a dear." She turned to Anne, who was sitting on the floor, her hands clasped on her knees in front of her. "And what of the future BA, Mrs Blythe? Will you torment your ten children with literary allusions all their young lives?"

Anne's cheeks were pink, and she smiled. "I dare say I will. But before that, I intend to be the very best teacher I can be. It will be some time before Gilbert will finish medical school."

Priscilla gave a little fake swoon onto Anne's shoulder. "So it's to be Mrs _Doctor_ Blythe for you! Goodness, Anne, your future is settled: you will be stopped in the street and asked for a cure for chilblains and asked if the doctor wouldn't mind just a _little_ visit for him to see every member of the family in one afternoon. And I know that happens, my mother used to do that to our poor doctor." she said wryly.

Anne laughed at this picture of the future. "Honestly Priss, if we have a life together where Gilbert is happy in his career, and our children are happy as well, then that is everything I could ever ask for." She nudged her friend then teasingly. "And what is after graduation for the Classical Priscilla?"

To her surprise, Priscilla blushed; something that Stella saw immediately and pounced on. "I _saw_ that- did you hear from Patrick again?"

Phil's eyes grew wide. " _Patrick Stevens_? Jo's friend Patrick?" she shrieked.

"Oh, hush." Priscilla said, her cheeks still pink. "He just wrote to me while I was at home. He's heading to Japan soon, and asked if he could write to me while he is away. It's- it's no big issue. He'll arrive back in Canada in June."

Phil clapped happily, beaming. "Well, we'll have to see what happens in June then. Who knows- you may end up in a little parish close to me as well, Miss Grant!"

Priss shook her head. "I doubt that, Phil. Besides, Rick wants to remain overseas, I think."

" _Rick_!" Phil exclaimed in excitement, her hands flapping. "You actually _called_ him that?"

"It's how he signed himself," Priscilla said in defence. "I haven't called him that to his face at all."

Phil leant over to her with a fiendish grin. "But you will _one day_ , won't you Priss?"

Priscilla kept her own counsel on that with a little smile, as she pulled the college forms together on her lap. At that moment Aunt Jimsie came out of her rooms with all three cats following closely behind.

"Do you ladies intend to sit up all night talking?" she asked reprovingly. "You still have another day before the weekend, I suggest that all of you head towards your beds now. Anne, a gentleman delivered some fabric here for you while you were in classes, I placed it in your cupboard to keep it safe from Rusty. He swarmed over your desk the moment I opened your door, so I didn't dare to leave it out."

Anne had risen to her feet, and given the older woman a kiss on her soft pink cheek. "Thanks, Aunt Jimsie. Rusty loves to sit in the sunshine on my desk when I am working there. I don't know what I will do with him when the year ends." she said with a little sigh.

Jimsie shook her head. "There's precious little sense in worrying about what is to come. Rather worry about the things in front of you- such as a full night's sleep. Good night, dearie. Stella, your father wrote that the family is gathering in Charlottetown at Easter for Josephine's wedding, and that he wishes us to come on the Thursday before the wedding."

Anne chuckled at Stella's little groan, having met the Josephine in question while they were at Queens together.

"Must I go, really? Josephine _will_ keep referring to me as the elderly cousin. How can I be declared elderly at twenty-three, I ask you? Aunt Jimsie, I'm fairly sure I will be violently ill at Easter."

Anne walked up the stairs laughing. She crossed into her little blue room with a smile, and closed the door behind her. The cold night made dressing a much quicker process for the usually dreamy Anne, and she jumped in between her covers with profound thanks for the thick blankets the girls had acquired during their junior year at Redmond. She snuggled under the covers with a little shiver.

She wondered if Gilbert was warm enough in his boarding house. As she looked into the dark little room that she knew as well as her one in Avonlea, she gave an unseen blush. All of the teasing about becoming Mrs Dr Blythe had caused a little bubble of anticipation within her- a little bubble that seemed to grow and warm her from head to foot. She pushed her pillow into a more accommodating shape and lay her head on it, dreaming of the day it would lay beside _his_ pillow. After all, she thought bashfully, with cheeks as pink as the robe carelessly flung on her desk chair- If you _were_ going to imagine something, why not make it something worthwhile?


	4. Chapter 4, Words Unspoken

Chapter 4

Blustery storms blew across Kingsport for several weeks, storms that seemed to subside only to make way for another to pass through. The port had frozen over and trains were delayed, causing the students to be thankful that the term had commenced early this year. Walks to Redmond were hurried, the bitter wind slicing through even the warmest of coats.

On a Friday evening in February, Gilbert strode through the streets to Patty's Place. Long days in lectures and meetings, and a workload that seemed impossibly long sat heavily on his shoulders, and he sighed, looking forward to seeing Anne. At the end of Spofford Avenue, he ran into a Jo who was brimming with excitement. He had been waiting for months for a permanent placement, and the board of the Patterson Street church had finally decided on the young Reverend Jonas Blake as their minister. Top of his class, a gifted, passionate preacher and an honorable man to boot- not to mention the insignificant detail that his fiancee was one of the wealthy Bolingbroke Gordons, who had considerable finances to bestow… yes, Reverend Blake would do for their little congregation nicely.

Gilbert congratulated him heartily, and the two men discussed his plans all the way to the little house on the hill. Anne was at the door to welcome them, and then laughed at the exuberance in which Phil congratulated a blushing and very happy Jonas. Gilbert slid his arm around her comfortably, and they stood watching the pair with big smiles. When Phil and Jo had moved away, Anne turned to Gilbert with a curious look. He smiled back at her, and was nonplussed when she frowned and slowly shook her head.

"What is it, Anne-girl?"he said, his voice congenial.

"I think something is wrong. Won't you tell me what it is?" she asked him quietly.

He grinned, trying to hide his dismay at the way she saw straight through him. "Taking to mind reading now?" he teased.

"Gil-"

He looked around the room. Phil and Jo were settled in front of the fire on a sofa, Priscilla was reading in another chair, and Stella and Aunt Jimsie were making supper in the little kitchen. At any other time, he would have settled in another lounge with his sweetheart; he often had. The girls of Patty's Place were now as much his family, as they were Anne's.

"Is anyone perhaps occupying the upstairs window seat?" he asked lightly.

Anne nodded and took his hand in her own. She leant over the lounge to tell Phil where they would be, who waved a hand vaguely in her direction.

Gilbert sighed as she led him up the staircase, and they sat down on the wide window seat, pulling the curtains closed behind them. Anne then took his hand into her own, and resting it in her lap, she looked at him steadily. He studied her thoughtful face with a little smile. "How did you know?"

Anne rolled her eyes. "Gil, I could feel it. You might be able to fool almost everyone, but not me."

His smile faltered then. He'd wanted to keep it from her, hadn't wanted her to worry.

"The interviews with the Cooper prize committee were today." he told her softly.

Anne tensed, holding his hand tightly. "Alright."

"It went fine, I would probably even say successful," he said with an artificial smile. "I think yours truly managed to acquit himself quite well."

Anne gave him a bright look that he didn't feel he deserved, one full of pride. "Of course you did, Gil."

He took a deep breath. "Professor Fredrickson met with me afterward, he seemed to think it went well too. But he indicated that there are two other candidates who are doing fairly well too." Gilbert scratched his head. "Dennis Talbot and Andrew Steele. He said that I'm ahead of them academically, but the gap between us could close. The Cooper hasn't had three viable candidates for years, so he told me- no one could get the grades needed." He was silent for a few minutes then, and Anne sat watching him. "He's advised me to drop any extra activities that I can; the Lambs, football- to try and pull ahead, and he's wanting to work with me a bit more." He gave a little chuckle. "Apparently Professor Fredrickson has his favourites. I seem to be one of them."

Anne sat stroking his hand, thinking.

"Gil, is this really worth it?" she asked slowly, bringing his head up.

"Sweetheart, of _course_ it is," he argued, his voice warm. "The Cooper equals-"

"A sooner wedding. Yes, I know," she said drolly.

He squeezed her hands then, with a smile. "Unless you were wanting to delay us getting married, Miss Shirley?"

Anne pulled his arms around her and gave him the candid look that still managed to make his heart beat faster. "Gilbert Blythe, I would run away and marry you tonight," she said with quiet confidence, and he chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers.

"You had to say that, didn't you? You don't know how tempting that is," he commented with a groan.

Anne stroked his cheek then. "You know I will wait. But I'm waiting for _you_ , dearest, not what you accomplish."

Gilbert kissed her and sighed. "I know that. Anne, I've dreamed of you- and I've dreamed of medical school for almost as long. It's all part of the same picture- you and I, and our family, and a livelihood where I get to make a real difference in the world. It's- it's everything I ever wanted." He fell silent again.

She put her head on his shoulder, letting out a long breath. "What can I do, Gil?"

He buried his face in her hair then, and she felt him shaking his head. "Nothing you aren't already doing. Knowing you're here helps me."

She looked up at him wistfully. "Do we need to talk about an alternative plan at some stage? I don't want you working yourself to death for our future-" she stated, only to feel him pull back from her, with a more confident look on his face.

"Anne Shirley, when have I ever been known to give up on a challenge?" he said, his eyes twinkling at her. "Everything is going to go according to plan if hard work can make it happen. And far from working myself to death, I've never been better- _you_ did that, sweetheart. And do you remember the epic battle for the Avery? The only person who is worthy to take me down is you- and by the way, you can, any time you like, sweetheart." he said cheekily.

She blushed with a little laugh. "Gilbert!"

He pulled her in close for a hug, relishing the closeness that the little alcove brought to them. A closeness that was interrupted when Phil pounced through the curtain triumphantly.

"Aha! I told them you were somewhere nearby, you naughty infants. Tea is served, and I expect you downstairs in five minutes; and unless you want some impertinent comments, Queen Anne, you had better fix those red locks of yours."

Anne's hand went quickly to her displaced curls, much to Gilbert's amusement. He pulled the curtains shut when Phil was gone for one last private embrace, and as she nestled against him he pressed his lips to the soft skin under her ear. His words were quiet, and only meant for her. "Sweetheart, trust me. I'm doing everything I can, and with you by my side I can't fail. We will be together, we will marry, and I will take care of you all the days of your life." he whispered. She pulled back from him, her eyes wistful. He kissed her passionately again, and his eyes held hers with an intensity that left her trembling inside. "Trust me?"

Anne's hands caressed his face, and she closed her eyes as he held her close. She nodded against him, the concern within temporarily held at bay by his touch. They walked down the stairs hand in hand, and if Anne noticed the tighter than usual grip he had on her, she didn't say anything.

* * *

As winter dragged on, Anne found herself watching Gilbert carefully. He visited several times a week, meeting her in the library at times just to see her. He was everything he had always been, cheerful and loving. Working long hours into the night, and enlivening their visits with descriptions of Charlie's epic battles with the other students for the biggest of the desks in their boarding house. Gilbert had taken to studying until all hours in his own room to avoid both the Sloanish grumbles and Mrs Saunders' clucking over his late hours. She had threatened to write to Gilbert's mother if he didn't start getting some more sleep, wringing a promise from him that he would attempt to go to bed earlier. Anne laughed, commenting that between herself, Mrs. Saunders and his mother, the three women should be able to see him through to the end of college satisfactorily.

In the evenings together at Patty's Place, he would stare into the fire, most nights content to just sit together in the peace and quiet. The fleeting time was sweet; little conversations between them, the jokes that only they understood, and the little teasing comments that made her eyes flash, and his own to fill with mirth at her reaction. Later each evening, alone in bed, Anne would lay under the covers twisting the little pearl ring around her finger in the darkness thoughtfully, her mind working through her observations. He was with her, he was happy. He not only told her so, he showed in his actions how very necessary she was to him. She couldn't put her finger on her unease- and yet as she tried to discern the difference in him, she began to feel more and more that she was missing something.

* * *

One night, after Aunt Jimsie had insisted on using the old fashioned bed warmers in all of the rooms on a cool, late February night, Anne threw the covers back on her bed in frustration. She felt trapped in her little blue room- Phil had a disconcerting knack of knowing when Anne was not asleep, and Anne had no intention of discussing something she couldn't yet put into words- a sentiment she felt just as strongly about, she thought dryly, as she did for the Philosophy paper she had due in a week.

So it was that she lay back on her bed, embracing the coolness that rushed against the skin that suddenly felt too hot. Her mind turned, as it often did, to Gilbert. That night he had been unaccountably quiet, despite the rare opportunity for some time alone with her. The girls had attended the opening of a new art exhibit, and Aunt Jimsie had gone to bed early. Despite the exhaustion that had begun to creep up on her as the term continued, Anne was quite unable to sleep now, pondering the evening. She had carefully asked him how he was, if anything in particular was worrying him. Gilbert had brushed off her concerns lightly, silencing her with a sound kiss.

She began to shiver, only slightly because of the coldness of the room. Something inexplicable was happening between the two of them- while she felt that on one level Gilbert may be shutting her out of something that was on his mind- on another level he was drawing close to her in a way that she hadn't anticipated. Anne closed her eyes with a little sigh. She had always enjoyed the time they had together, but this desperate need they both had to be together, to be pressed close to his heart and hold him as close as she could to her own, half frightened her with its intensity.

Logically, she supposed, it all made sense. Two passionate people embarking on an engagement that was long sought after, after years of misunderstanding and pain- it was only natural that the closeness they had always shared was amplified by the proximity of their hearts and minds. She and Gilbert had always been close. It was only natural to think that the attraction between them would grow, that physically they would grow closer with every moment that passed between them.

She lay back on the bed, crossing one long, slim leg over the other, impatiently pushing the sleeves of her nightgown up above her elbows. The cool of the air soothed her irritation, bringing an unexpected clarity with it. With hands that pushed the heavy braid off her neck, she crossed them under the back of her head then, her brow in a thoughtful furrow.

As delightful as she found Gilbert's embraces, his seeking lips and the tender hands that caressed her arms and waist, there was more to it than that. There was a desperation in his touch that had her baffled- it seemed to speak of fear, and of the need for comfort. As this thought coalesced in her mind, she recalled the conversation they had a week ago. She had asked him his opinion of some of the schools she had applied for.

"Anne-girl, they each sound promising. Which one are you considering?"

Anne had tucked her stockinged feet on the chair beside her, leaning against his shoulder to talk. "There is a girl's school in Tyne Valley, and one in Summerside-"

"Both in PEI?"

"That's right. Summerside are only looking for a principal, I'm not sure if I'm right for that one. They have a small staff, and write that the grounds are very fine." Anne laughed. "I'm sure it's no reflection that they told me more about the grounds than the school itself. Georgetown and Souris are looking for teachers, similar to the positions we held straight out of Queens." Anne explained. "There are several senior positions in the west, however I'm not prepared to travel so far. No Kingsport schools appear to be hiring, and the closest position to here is in St John."

"That's several day's travel away." Gilbert said without enthusiasm.

"I know. I don't want to be so far from you and from home." She leant back in his arms, with a sigh. "Oh, I don't know. Gil, I've been meaning to ask, were you serious about trying to think of other options than medical school?" she asked suddenly.

"Do you want me to?" he responded after a moment.

She smiled. "All I want is for you to be happy, you know that."

He chuckled then. "Well, both of us should be content, then. I'm completely happy, Anne-girl."

Anne turned to him then. "So what options did you think of?"

He shrugged, his voice easy. "I never came up with anything. In any event, if I win the Cooper, everything will be fine." he said simply, pressing a kiss to her smooth forehead.

Anne looked at him, her head on one side. "I suppose we're both trying to work around something that hasn't happened yet." she said slowly.

Gilbert moved down on the sofa to bring his face to the same level as hers. "Sweetheart, you have to apply wherever you think you need to. We will make this work, no matter which school you choose or where I end up, I promise."

As she looked up at him, his shoulders dropped. He could see it, he could feel the pain that would rise whenever she considered them being apart- and it filled his heart with more determination to succeed.

His hand caressed the soft skin of her ivory throat, before sliding his fingers into the soft red hair he loved. His other hand wrapped securely around her waist, he pulled her against him, thrilling at the way she pressed herself even closer. He lost himself in her kiss, in the lips that so readily explored his own, the way she whispered of her love and held him close.

A few minutes later, as the fire crackled in the dim room, Anne pulled away to catch her breath. His own was unsteady, and he grinned at her. She watched him then in the firelight; a thoughtful, considering look that made him feel oddly vulnerable.

"What is it?" he whispered.

Anne shook her head, her fingers touching his flushed cheek. "I don't know." she said softly. "You feel tense- but you don't seem to be that, exactly. I'm not sure what it is."

He smiled at her wryly then. "Darling, you've always made me feel tense." he teased, causing her to hide her face in his shoulder. He laughed then. "I don't know if I can explain it. We've been working so hard towards this moment- this moment here, _our_ moment as well as graduation, and at times it all just seems to go frustratingly slowly. I want the next few months to pass swiftly, I want to find ourselves at Convocation dancing together without a care in the world. You'll most likely be wearing a green dress-"

Anne lifted her face, her grey eyes sparkling. She shook her head with an irrepressible smile.

"No, not green, dearest."

"Blue? Or purple?" he guessed, laughing as she shook her head. "Black velvet then? You've decided to appear at Convocation as a dark femme fatale-" He turned slightly then, so that she lay him beside him on the lounge, her cheeks rosy. "Wait, _I_ know what colour you've chosen," he said mischievously. "Pink, just like the colour of the robe that regularly appears in my dreams," he said in an undertone, loving the way she blushed. He leant down to kiss her again lingeringly, and then after a moment gave a little sigh. He smiled as he held out his hand to her, pulling her off the lounge cushions to sit beside him once again, her hand held tightly in his own.

"It's gold, Gil," Anne whispered, loving the warm smile that covered his face.

His eyes lit up. "You're wearing a golden dress?"

"A pale gold satin that falls just beautifully. Di helped me to select the colour at Christmas, and to sketch just what I wanted. Phil put me onto a seamstress who is a wonder, she's going to make it up for me after Easter."

Gilbert held her close to him, kissing the loose curls that fell across her forehead. "You will make it even more beautiful," he said softly.

* * *

Finally beginning to feel the cold in her room, Anne slowly pulled the heavy blankets on top of her again, enjoying the comforting weight on her body. She lay with her arms clasped on top of the covers, her hair pulled over one shoulder. Away from his presence, and the sensations that temporarily made her forget her concerns, Anne pictured his face in her mind. Loving, passionate and driven- driven so hard to succeed. It was with a cold feeling that she realised what he wasn't saying- he was driving himself for _her_.

The Cooper. He was worried.

It was a conversation he had been avoiding- and she now saw the way he was pushing himself. She could feel his anxiety in the way he would hold her, in the embraces that only seemed to grow in intensity. With worried eyes, she twisted the braid that lay beside her, trying to think of a way to handle this- and she eventually let out a long breath. She knew her Blythes. Single-minded and passionately focused, and unwilling to place their burdens on others. She closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe deeply, to find sleep.

Well, in a few years she would be a Blythe as well. And she had _no_ intention of allowing him to face this battle alone.


	5. Chapter 5, Anne's Birthday

**Chapter 5**

On the auspicious morning of Anne's twenty-second birthday, she awoke to a cool, grey dawn. She stretched her muscles out with a big groan, and then lay back on her bed sighing happily. It was still early on Friday morning, and she had several hours before the only two classes on that day. She could hear an inordinate amount of whispering and shushing in the halls, and wondered what was going on- however before she had any time to move her door was opened, and Gilbert's mischievous face popped around the door, his eyes covered.

"Sweetheart? Can I come in?" he whispered, trying to suppress his grin.

Anne giggled and ran to the door. She pulled him inside and shut the door behind him.

Gilbert leaned against the door, his hand still covering his eyes. "Phil is giving us just ten minutes, before I need to be downstairs and at the front door ready to arrive for your birthday breakfast." he said smugly.

By this time Anne had pulled on her robe and crossed to him. She had a big smile on her face as she drew his hands from his eyes, and as candid grey eyes met twinkling hazel ones, Anne put her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a soft kiss.

Gilbert's hold on her slipped slightly, with a comical look of surprise Anne did not see. As his eyes slid shut, he wrapped his arms around her, the satin of her robe falling easily around her soft curves. Eventually he pulled away with a sheepish grin and slightly breathless, to meet her blushing face.

"I know, I shouldn't have done that." she whispered.

"Ohhh, you certainly should have…" he said, with a contented sigh, and then laughed. "I'm just not used to- well, to you not having-" He floundered, and she stretched up to kiss him again.

"Well, I didn't want to wait. And it _is_ my birthday." she teased.

Gilbert picked her up laughing, and placed her gently on her bed. He pulled her desk chair over and sat facing her with a happy smile. "It is. Happy birthday, sweetheart."

He leaned in to kiss her, before placing two wrapped gifts on her lap. Anne's smile was huge, and she gently stroked his cheek before turning her attention to the parcels. She unwrapped the paper on a smaller package carefully, and gave a cry of delight at the golden hair comb that fell out into her hands.

"Oh, Gilbert, it's so pretty!"

His cheeks flushed. "I thought it would go nicely with your gold dress for Convocation."

"It's beautiful. It will be perfect for it, thank you, Gil!" She beamed at him, and after inspecting the intricate comb carefully, she turned her attention to the other parcel. She unwrapped it and drew in a breath of surprise at the little cloth wrapped book. "The Fairy Queen!" she said softly. She looked up at him with a happy smile.

"I _had_ this, and then-"

Gilbert took over the story. "Then you lost it one summer when you were out picnicking in the sand dunes-" he said with a little smile. "And you were always sorry about that."

Anne put the presents down on the bed, and with a sweet sigh she settled herself on his lap. She gave him a long look that seemed to read his very heart, holding his face in her hands. "I don't think anyone has ever known me as well as you have, Gil."

He wrapped her in his arms tightly, and laughed. "I plan that no one ever _will_ know you as I do. I saw the book a few weeks ago, and all I could see was you at our old school concert." He rested his head against her soft cheek. "I spent most of that night just watching you, actually. I watched your recitations from beside the stage, I was holding the curtain for the tableau, and Charlie knocked me over the head with a box because I wasn't paying attention." He gave her a gentle grin. "You were standing there posed as hope, and I remember thinking _Yes, she's my hope._ And that's when Charlie hit me with the box."

Anne gave a little laugh. "Mr Blythe, you are full of surprises!" She looked at him lovingly. "Thank you, dearest."

He kissed her gently then, his hand resting on her long red curls; and grinned at her. "Alright, sweetheart, I think it would be best if I headed downstairs now, _before_ I take note of the fact that we are in your room, you are in your nightgown, and there is a bed less than a foot away." He moved her off his lap with a big sigh, his hand lingering on the softness of her waist. He bent to kiss her again, before straightening with a wink that made her blush.

"Downstairs in five minutes, Miss Shirley. Your fiance is a most impatient fellow."

* * *

Breakfast was a warm and friendly affair. Aunt Jimsie welcomed Gilbert in through the front door cordially, advising him that Anne was still dressing. He kept his grin to himself, seeing the image of him running down the stairs and diving out the side door, followed by the sound of Phil laughing inside the house uncontrollably. Anne herself arrived a few minutes later, wearing a green dress he had long loved, and a bright smile that made everything around him pale in comparison. After a leisurely breakfast in which Anne's health was toasted in tea and porrige, the girls gathered their books to head to college. Anne and Gilbert were left to walk at a slower pace behind the others, enjoying the morning together.

Anne lifted her face to feel the breeze, and sighed contentedly. "Do you suppose it is wishful thinking to imagine that the first stirrings of spring are here because it's my birthday?"

Gilbert laughed, holding her hand tightly. "It is slightly warmer this morning, I'll give you that. It's nearly spring, though. What are you doing this morning?"

Anne smiled. "Besides looking for the first spring blossoms, I have literature this morning, and Philosophy before lunch."

"So, this afternoon?" he asked.

"Nothing, actually." Anne said merrily. "You've no idea how lovely that sounds."

"Believe me, I know how lovely it sounds." Gilbert said dryly, causing Anne to stop cold, her hand on his arm.

"Gil, I'm sorry for being so thoughtless. You've been so busy you've hardly taken a breath-" she said in apology.

His hand covered hers then, and he smiled at her. "Anne, I didn't mean to sound like that. I _want_ you to have a wonderful day today."

Anne looked at him, unusually cautious. "And you're still coming over tonight?" she asked. Gilbert's nights at Patty's Place had become much fewer. She understood that it was necessary, but missed his presence horribly.

He grinned. "This is your day, sweetheart. You want me, you have me."

Anne rolled her eyes. "By that yardstick, you aren't ever going home." she commented. At his sigh, she pulled her face close to his shoulder for a moment. "You need to be working, I know that. I want you to be free to do whatever you need to."

He sighed, and kissed the top of her head. "You know where I'd be if I could choose." He chuckled then, his own face flushing. "Well, if I could choose we'd be married already, and I would get to see you every day looking like you did this morning." he said in a wry tone. He turned to her and looked at her seriously. "Can I ask you a very personal question?"

Anne looked at him in surprise, a little laugh bubbling up. "And what personal question would you ask of me, my future husband?"

He swallowed. "Does your corset hurt you?"

Anne blinked at him for a moment. "Oh." She nodded in comprehension. "I forgot that you wouldn't have been used to what it felt like without one." She smiled then, looking at his handsome face, undeniably pink in the cheeks. "I'd bet that nine months ago you wouldn't have thought you would be having this conversation with me." she said impishly.

He laughed greatly at that comment. "No, I wouldn't have. And I am one lucky man to be able to have it with you now." he said firmly.

Anne smiled. "No. It doesn't hurt anymore; however I don't mind telling you that the first few months in that thing were murder." she stated, a twinkle in her eye. "It did help me to stand up straighter when I began teaching, I'll give it that."

He looked at her in surprise. "When you began teaching?"

"Marilla didn't insist on a proper one until much later than other girls, because there wasn't much to me at the time. She was concerned I wasn't growing properly, so Mrs Lynde was called in to advise her."

He chuckled at that. "Mrs Lynde?"

Anne nodded. "Yes. She had good, sound advice. After all, she has raised four daughters."

"Well, I think you grew up just fine." he said, his eyes expressive. He looked at her untroubled face in the gradually warming sunshine. "So it doesn't hurt you now?"

She grinned at him cheekily. "No. Although a world without corsets is something to dream about."

" _I'll_ say." he said playfully, and laughed, dodging the hand that reached to slap him. He came back to grab her hand again, bringing it to his lips to kiss.

Anne looked up at Gilbert after a moment then, her eyes suddenly wistful. "This is the difficult part with you and I, isn't it? We've always talked about everything, we're best friends. And now that we are engaged, we are supposed to be demure and proper- I'm sure Marilla would faint if she knew I'd talked about this with you. Di as well."

Gilbert stopped her under a tree, and put their satchels down. He leaned against the bark, and pulled her into his arms.

"Anne-girl, I don't think there is any point pretending that we're like anyone else." he said drolly. "And I wouldn't _want_ to be. But if it makes you uncomfortable to talk about anything, you can just tell me. I won't be offended. We were friends before we were anything else, and I'd like to believe that will always be the case."

Anne's arms were around his neck, and she smiled. "I don't think much that we talk about does make me uncomfortable. Perhaps that's the problem. I _want_ to tell you everything."

Gilbert laughed. "You know, when we were out in some water once together back home, you mentioned your petticoats to me. I was so surprised I fell over. I think I told you I tripped on something."

Anne groaned. "Yes, that does sound like me."

He looked at her critically. "Anne, I hope you'll always be that honest with me. I want a marriage where we _do_ tell each other what we think and feel- and we don't hide anything from the other because of what society says we should do. Deal?"

Anne kissed him then. "It's a deal."

His hands stroked up and down her waist then curiously, making her giggle. "I can't get over the difference," he muttered with a grin. "You couldn't get me into whalebone for anything."

Anne stepped away, laughing. She took his hand in hers. "It's probably for the best. Your figure is wonderful as it is." she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him cheekily. "As much as I would love to linger, we'd better be going, Gil. We have lectures awaiting us, and no doubt some impertinent comments from the girls. You're in class with Phil now, aren't you?"

Gilbert gave her the cocky grin she loved. "She can say what she likes. If Jo was still at college I doubt she'd get anything done."

* * *

That evening, Gilbert arrived at the house after a busier than usual day, trying to suppress a yawn from the longer than usual day. He had come from classes not an hour earlier, and his head was full of complex formulas and equations- all these were put aside though, as Anne flew to meet him. She stepped back in some surprise, as he produced a bunch of wild flowers from behind his back.

"Gil, how did you do this?" Anne asked, astonished. "I haven't managed to find any flowers yet!"

He coloured sheepishly. "I went looking at St Johns and the nearby parks to find some early spring blooms, these were all I could find. I wanted you to have a bit of springtime on your birthday."

Anne laughed, squeezing him tightly. "They are so lovely! I doubt you would find this many flowers available in Avonlea yet." Priscilla was on hand with a vase a moment later, shoeing Anne away from the kitchen.

Anne sat close to him on the little sofa, studying his tired face. Her eyes caressed his features, eventually drawing Gilbert's attention.

"What is it?"

Anne stroked Gilbert's temples, her hands gentle. "I wish I could do more for you, Gil. I don't like you getting worn out." she said softly.

He smiled at her warmly. "Anne, I'm fine. I'm better than fine. I got the results back for two more assessments today, both at ninety-eight percent."

Anne hugged him happily, her heart feeling a measure of relief. "That's wonderful, Gil!"

He was the one to sigh now, talking more than he had intended to. "I'm thankful. It proves that the extra work is needed, and gives me more hope for a better outcome. If it all comes together, all of our dreams can come true." He looked at Gog and Magog on the mantelpiece thoughtfully, thinking that it was odd that they stood sentinel over the place that he himself felt to be home. "I've mapped out a plan for studying so that I get everything done, and don't miss time with you- I know I haven't been that available lately, and I'm so sorry, sweetheart." He looked at her regretfully, and Anne shook her head. "It's alright, Gil. I want to help you as much as I can."

He smiled at her, leaning in to kiss her again. "You are. Now stop worrying, I'm not discussing school tonight. This is your night." He stretched out on the sofa, and lay with his head on her lap, making her smile. His hazel eyes followed her, and she stroked the brown curls that covered his forehead.

"May I talk to you about school then?" Anne asked hesitantly. "I wanted to discuss something with you."

He caught her hand in his, and pressed a kiss on her palm. "Of course."

"I had a meeting with Professor Trelor this afternoon. He's asked me if I can be a part of a team to work on a research paper he is doing, in line with my senior thesis."

"What did you decide on?"

"It's twofold, Literature as a catalyst for social change, and the literary portrayal of the working classes in modern literature."

"I didn't know you were thinking of that!" Gilbert said, in surprise. "It sounds interesting."

"Professor Trelor thinks the same, and has been working with me to make it strong enough." Anne said, matter-of-factly. "I'll meet with a small group to work on it through the week. The other issue is a little more strange."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"The professor has also recommended me to work with a senior student who is asking for some extra tutoring;" she said slowly. "And it's Roy."

Gilbert's face was solemn, however his eyes were dancing. "Oh?"

"I asked if there was anyone else who would be suitable, however the Professor was adamant that it should be me. I'm- I'm top of the class, you see."

Gilbert sat up, and held her to him. "Of course you are, sweetheart. It was you who won the Avery in English, wasn't it?" he said, grinning broadly.

Anne smiled. "Roy went to him, most surprisingly to ask for help in improving his grade. Professor Trelor said that Roy was a little nonplussed about me as well, however he has said that he will abide by the professor's decision." She was silent for a short time, her fingers smoothing his hair back absently. "I'd noticed he'd been putting more effort than he used to, although I'm not quite sure why." she said at last. "He's quite intelligent, however he never seemed to show much interest in learning. I'm unsure why he is choosing to do it so close to our final exams."

Gilbert kept his own counsel about that, having heard rumors from various members of the student committee. He looked at Anne appraisingly.

"Do you have a peace about meeting with him?" he asked her.

Anne put her head on one side. "Actually, I wanted to ask you that." she commented with a odd look. "I have no problem with the idea, apart from some awkwardness attending, however I would like to know your thoughts on the matter."

Gilbert studied her uncertain face. Unbeknownst to Anne, Royal Gardner had spoken with Gilbert as soon as Professor Trelor had proposed it; a stilted and uncomfortable conversation, but one that had given both gentlemen a measure of peace. Gilbert had firsthand seen the discomfort on his face and respected the courtesy he had shown.

"Anne, it's up to you. If you are willing, then I say you should do it. If you aren't, then don't." he said bluntly. "It's quite an honour that Trelor asked you, and you know he sees your abilities in English." He gave her a roguish smile then. "If I thought Roy would take you from me I might get jealous; however _I_ know whom you chose."

"You most certainly do, Gil." she said, with a little sigh. "Well, if Roy will allow me to tutor him, it may help get me back into practice of teaching again."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean _if_? If he wants help, he'd better listen to you."

Anne looked at him, a little smile on her face. "Dearest, you and I have worked together as equals ever since we became friends- and you certainly treated me as that from the beginning. I'm afraid Roy's circle has a very different mindset."

"Hmm." Was all Gilbert would say. He studied her in the warm light of the room, and an unexpected lump came to his throat. There was a part of him that still couldn't believe his luck. She was with _him_ now. It was for her he was working, for her he planned. He caressed her cheek with one hand, loving the way her grey eyes softened when she looked at him. He pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly, marveling at the way she responded to his touch.

"How is this possible?" he said to her wonderingly. "I still find myself asking how it is that you love me- that I'm here with you now."

Anne looked at him with a little smile. "I ask myself that too, at times." She nestled into his shirt collar breathing in his scent, and he shivered a little at her breath on his neck.

"Do you want to know something?" he said suddenly.

"Always, Gil."

He smiled, holding her close. "On your birthday last year, I was having- a bit of a rough day." he said delicately. Anne pulled away from him, her eyes showing her alarm. He shook his head. "It's okay. I- well, I decided I was miserable enough already, I may as well make a good day of it. I went through photos, I pulled out every note, every memento I had of you." He said with a wry grin. "I couldn't get you off my mind, and I couldn't go to see you. I even tried to read the Iliad, since we had studied it together. I had an _Anne_ day."

Anne's eyes were filled with tears, and she wiped them away impatiently as she placed her hands on the sides of his face tenderly. "I wanted you to come." she said brokenly. "I missed you so much, Gilbert. I had people all around me, and yet I was so lonely because I didn't have you." She kissed him then lingeringly, and he sighed against her lips contentedly.

"The best thing this last year has given me, is the knowledge that you love me as I love you. And it's the biggest privilege to be able to be with you on your birthday, as your fiance." Gilbert grinned at her, his eyes mischievous, and his tone soft. " _Especially_ surprising you in your bedroom this morning."

There was a bang on the kitchen door, and he looked up to see it open, and sat back with a smile. Priscilla came into the room bearing a chocolate cake, closely followed by the girls with plates and napkins, Aunt Jimsie hovering complacently.

As they all sat together, Anne's hand was in Gilbert's, and she looked around at the group thankfully. She looked around at the happy faces, talking merrily about the months to come, and passing plates of cake around. Phil was teasing Gilbert, who laughed and threw a small cushion in her direction. Aunt Jimsie scolded Gilbert roundly, a smile nevertheless not far away from her face. Anne sighed and rested her cheek against Gilbert's shoulder, and felt him turn to kiss the top of her head. She smiled up at him happily, and ignored the groans of Stella and Phil when he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Do the two of you ever stop?" Phil asked impatiently. "It's been several months; you should be used to it all by now."

Anne laughed, even as she looked towards Gilbert's grinning face.

"You know, Phil; I don't believe we will." she said.


	6. Chapter 6, Past and Present

**Chapter 6**

 _Dear Marilla,_

 _Thank you for your letter this week, and thank you even more for the lovely presents you and the household sent! Please tell Mrs Lynde that her afghan is used every night, and that I often have to wrestle it away from the others! It's more than warmth, I can see the need for comfort and familiarity in the girls as much as myself. The stationary items Davy and Dora sent are being well used, (I must admit that I have used over half the paper already) and the pen is delightful- I am quite fussy about pens! The sweater you made for me is perfect, although I do worry what it may have done to your eyes in the making of it. Thank you all; your presents just for a little time made me feel like I was at home._

 _I don't have time for more than one letter right now, could you please reassure Mrs Blythe that Gilbert is really doing quite well? He was quite cross about Mrs Saunders' insistence that he was underweight, and I have been assured that the amount she is feeding him is roughly enough for a small oxen. He is tired, however I haven't seen anyone at the college recently who isn't looking the same!_

 _I must admit that this is a week of homesickness for all of us. We are all growing weary as preparations for the finals continue, and at times I confess I can't quite remember why I am doing this. I have been scouring the papers for teaching positions for next year, and to my surprise several new ones have appeared in recent weeks. It is growing wearisome finding the time for letters of application along with essays on the foundational structure of the human psyche!_

 _I am longing for an Avonlea summer. The cold seems to linger here in the city; I long for the heat of the shore, for warm moonlit rows on the pond, and for sun-bleached fields to run free in… admittedly I could run in the park across from Patty's Place. However I feels sure that our wealthy neighbors would hold up their hands in horror at the sight- at this late stage, I doubt that I would shock anyone in Avonlea anymore. How glad I am to have a home that knows me!_

 _Please give the children my love, we enjoy their letters so very much! Gilbert has asked if you could tell Davy not to attempt to repair the boat on his own- he will help him do it this summer, and says that rescuing Green Gables folk from the river has a fairly limited appeal. If he really can't wait, Mr Blythe will be happy to assist him. I think Gil will be very thankful to do something non-academic for a change though, so he and Davy will have a wonderful time when we come home._

 _Mrs Lynde's advice on cooking was much appreciated, I have every faith that Phil will be able to keep up with the Patterson Street Church Ladies Aid in baking soon- as soon as she masters the delicate art of kneading. I still remember all of your lessons on that, Marilla, although my apron will never remain as tidy as yours does._

 _I miss you so very much, and am longing to be at home with you again. All of my love to you,_

 _Anne._

* * *

Gilbert sat at a desk at the front of a cavernous, empty hall, furiously taking down notes from a board that was densely covered. The class had long gone, and the professor had excused himself over half an hour earlier for another class. He put down his pen, his hands briefly coming up to rub his tired face. Gilbert sighed, looking down at nearly illegible writing, and couldn't help a chuckle. How were notes that even he couldn't read useful?

He picked up the papers in front of him, and walked to the board, checking them over. He had been standing there for a time, when he heard a familiar voice.

"I was wondering if I would find you here."

Gilbert turned to see Anne standing by the side door, and a big smile crossed his face at the sight of her. He dropped the pages on the lectern and crossed to her swiftly. Anne laughed as he picked her up with a fierce hug, depositing her on a nearby desk to kiss her. She smiled then, and ran a hand over his rough jawline.

"I think you forgot to shave this morning, dearest."

He took her hands in his then, unable to suppress a yawn. "Oh, probably. I got up early and was working on some chemistry notes."

Anne had some experience with him in this state by now, and she got off the desk, smoothing out her skirt.

"Come, Gil. Dinner is waiting for us; Aunt Jimsie is keeping it in the oven until we get back. The others won't be home until later. Let's go home." she said, gently pulling him towards his belongings.

Gilbert seemed to perk up at the mention of dinner, and he packed up quickly. The two of them stepped outside the building, and Gilbert was startled to see some blue sky left, instead of the anticipated nightfall. Spring was indeed coming again.

"I couldn't find you at lunch. Did you have a meeting?" Gilbert commented. Anne smiled. She had told him this the previous day, and hadn't been fully sure that he would remember.

Anne shook her head. "No, I was working with Roy in the library again."

"Ah. And how is Mr Gardner going? Is he respecting his new tutor?" Gilbert asked, quirking one eyebrow.

She chuckled, her hand in Gilbert's contentedly. "Aside from the awkwardness, very well. The main issue is his essay writing," she commented. "His opinions are sound and he knows the material well enough, however he struggles to organise his thoughts. I think we were very lucky to have Miss Stacy to prepare us so well for academic writing."

"Not to mention Queens, and the extra work we did before coming here." Gilbert added. They stepped out onto the street, and began the gradual climb towards Spofford Avenue.

Anne looked up at him, smiling. "You always helped me with essays too, Gil. I would get an idea when I would read the question and run off blindly, and would sometimes miss something important- you always brought me back to what the question was actually asking of me."

Gilbert grinned. "You obviously don't need my help anymore, you've become the expert here."

"As to that…" Anne said, in a confiding tone. "I have a little secret."

"Oh?"

"I have a tried and tested technique that hasn't failed me yet."

Gilbert looked at her sideways, and nudged her. "Well, Miss Shirley? I could use some hints as to how to not fail right now." he said dryly. "Tell your future husband, won't you?"

Anne looked at him seriously. "I ask myself, 'how would Gilbert read this question?'" He looked at her, slightly stunned, and she shrugged. "I would sit in front of my notes, and ask myself what _you_ would see in the wording."

Gilbert stopped, with a puzzled frown on his face. "You knew what I would see?"

Anne squeezed his hand. "Gil, I worked with you closely for nearly four years. I could almost hear how you would process it, and I got into the habit of checking myself that way before I began one."

"Anne, you're the English major, not me. You never did that badly." he protested.

She chuckled. "I had Miss Stacy to rein me in at school, and several of the professors at Queens. After that I was working with you." she said simply. "You taught me that."

Gilbert was surprised into silence, and he stood looking down at her. "Did you do that even while we were apart?"

Anne looked out on the houses they were passing, and swallowed a little lump in her throat. "I did." she said softly. "Almost every time. Sometimes it made me feel as if we were still doing things together."

He turned his head at her sudden peal of laughter. "One time I refused to- I was sitting up late after some event, a dance, I think. Roy had dropped me at home, and I couldn't sleep- so I pulled out a Biology essay I hadn't begun yet. And I was so hopping mad that I didn't check it, I dashed off the essay only to find that I had missed the main point, and subsequently did poorly."

Gilbert shook his head, his eyes narrowed. "I think that story is missing some key details. Why were you hopping mad? Was it at me?"

"Oh yes, I was absolutely livid." Anne replied cheerfully. She looked at his startled face, and rolled her eyes in self mockery. "You were also at the dance." she said delicately. "And Christine was hanging off your arm. However it wasn't until the end of the evening that I saw her kiss you on the cheek." Anne gave a little shiver that Gilbert did not miss. "I didn't react very well, and went home as soon as I could. It took me quite a while to calm down."

Gilbert pulled her into his arms then, their books falling onto the grass underfoot. "Anne, I'm sorry-"

She shook her head, with a slight laugh. "Gil, it's alright. And that particular essay proved that your clear thinking was something I desperately needed, and I checked every essay for it, after that."

Gilbert shook his head, as they once again resumed their walk. "Well, I'm glad I could help you, even when we weren't together." he said philosophically. His head then snapped up, and turned to her sharply. "Anne, you know that nothing ever- _ever_ happened beyond what you saw-" he said cautiously.

She looked at him in horror. "Gil, no, you don't ever need to tell me anything, I don't-" she faltered, when he bent down to look her in the eyes fiercely.

"Anne, I have loved one girl, my whole life. I've done everything I can to keep myself faithful to that one girl, with her or without her; and I _never_ kissed anyone else." he stated firmly.

Anne was startled by the passion in his voice, and put a hand on his cheek, to calm him. "Dearest, it's alright. You don't need to do this."

"Anne, for all I knew Christine had said otherwise to you." he said, still concerned.

Her eyes flashed at that point. "And did you think I would believe her over you?" she said caustically. She tugged on his hand, getting him walking again.

He chuckled slightly. "How is it we haven't discussed this yet?" he said, half to himself.

Anne darted in front of him then on the pathway, turning a cheeky expression to him. "I don't know. Although, _really_? No one?" she said teasingly. "All the girls in Avonlea would have given their right arms to be able to kiss you, even as a dare, and you _were_ almost fourteen before you met me…"

He shook his head at her, amused. "Yes. After three years of living in a shack, on a ranch with my dad in the middle of nowhere, I came back to Avonlea and almost immediately you arrived. And- let's just say a certain corner was turned at that point." he said in a dry tone that made her laugh. "I can assure you that no one else had a chance."

"Not even Ruby?"

Gilbert shook his head thoughtfully. "Ruby was sweet, but even when we were growing up, she was a bit too shallow for me. All I heard about were dresses and parties, and about all the fellows she was interested in. We had nothing to talk about."

"She wasn't as shallow as she seemed, Gil. She just kept the deeper things hidden." Anne said with a little sigh. "Before we became friends, I assumed the two of you would end up together." He clasped her hand in his, shaking his head expressively. They walked along in silence for a time, and gradually Anne became aware that Gilbert was looking at her with an odd frown every now and then, as if wanting to speak. After he had done this a few times, Anne began to smile.

"Why don't you just ask the question, Gil?" she said softly.

He jumped, feeling caught, and then shook his head again. "No."

Anne raised her eyebrow.

"I'm not asking." he muttered. "It's not my business, and _now_ is the only time that matters. Not back then."

Anne's smile was huge, and she stopped him from walking yet again. The evening stars were beginning to show in the twilight, and she drew close enough to see the hazel eyes that held a stubborn look in their depths.

"I don't want to know." Gilbert said gruffly.

Anne went up on tiptoes to kiss him. "Yes, my love, you do." she said confidently.

This intrigued him, and he pulled back to see her better.

"Would you like to know when I received my first kiss?" Anne asked.

"If you say it was Charlie Sloane I'll kill him."

Anne wrapped her arms around Gilbert's neck, and spoke softly. "It was in Avonlea… on the crossroad near Green Gables… with my very best friend." she said, seeing a smile begin to blossom on his face. "And I _believe_ it was just after a hurricane."

He pulled her to him tightly, laughing. "Hang on, now Anne; if I remember correctly you didn't receive that kiss, you _gave_ it." he teased, even in the dimness seeing her blush.

She floundered a little, and then smiled. "It had to be done. And I'm certainly not sorry."

He laughed again at that, and then looked at her as they continued to walk. "Why?"

Anne looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"Yes, why. Why did you do it? You thought I was leaving for good." Gilbert asked.

Anne looked at him in chagrin. "I know that it was completely inappropriate."

"No, it was brilliant." he said bluntly, his eyes twinkling.

She let out a long breath. "I don't think I knew why, then. I just had to. I couldn't let you go without something that told you how much I cared." she said slowly. "And then it just happened."

He grinned roguishly, holding her hand to his chest. "So your first kiss was with me? Nine months ago?"

"Yes. While I was supposedly in love with someone else, and had spent all night shouting at you- someone I loved more, and had hurt more than anyone in the world. It wasn't my finest moment." she said dryly.

"You mean the kiss?"

"Oh- oh, no, that was very nice." she said, with a slightly embarrassed laugh. "I kept wondering all summer what would have happened if I'd not run away at that point."

He frowned, pretending to consider it. "Well, I think you would definitely have received more than a kiss in return." He looked at her contented face then. "So that means that you and Roy never-"

She laughed then. "No. I imagine that he would not have done so unless we were actually engaged, as proper etiquette would dictate."

They were finally approaching Patty's place, and Gilbert grinned. "Not a rule we followed, sweetheart."

Anne turned to him with a cheeky look. "Yes. Trust us for that."

* * *

That evening, Aunt Jimsie fussed and clucked over Gilbert, who was by this time regarded as a firm fixture in the household. After feeding him more pie than was decent, Anne sent him out to the lounge room to wait while she and Aunt Jimsie tidied up. The two women talked as they worked, and when the little kitchen was spotless, Aunt Jimsie took herself to an early bed.

Anne came out of the kitchen, and stopped short. The fire was low in the grate, and Gilbert yet again had fallen asleep on the sofa, his long legs haphazardly thrown over the opposite arm of the chair. Suppressing a little wave of frustration, she stood still for a moment and then moved to get Mrs Lynde's afghan to cover him with. She gave a little twisted smile when he mumbled slightly in his sleep, burrowing further down into the cushions.

She looked at the clock on the mantel and sighed. The girls would be home in a few hours after a committee meeting for Convocation: one she had declined attending, to spend time with Gilbert. She turned to walk upstairs to get her books, thinking that at least she could get a head start on her work for the following day.

An hour later, and Anne had thrown down her notes. It wasn't working, it hadn't distracted her. She came to sit beside the sofa as she had before, her head against the arm of the chair, near Gilbert's brown head. She stroked the curls that he had trimmed yet again, with a little smile. He hadn't cut his hair as short this time, although no doubt Cora would have still have words to say when they arrived home in the summer. He looked so young, asleep, the little lines of worry she had grown used to seeing disappearing at least in slumber. She moved her hand to his cheek, and rested her head on the cushion next to his.

Anne sighed. This had been happening with growing frequency, of late. Gilbert would start the evening well enough, but as soon as the bustle would settle down, his head would start to nod. Then he would wake only to walk home; and fortified by his evening nap he would study again until the early hours of the morning.

Anne wiped a solitary tear away, frustrated. How could she be missing him when he was actually beside her? Was she not engaged to him, assured of his love? She tried her hardest to be pragmatic; however, her imagination always showed her a Gilbert worn out from his efforts, one whose eyes had lost the sparkle she loved so. A Gilbert who turned from her coldly, saying ' _if I am to succeed, it must be without you."_ Anne folded her arms on the cushion before her, and being able to clearly picture the look of stone on her beloved's face, she lost herself in tears for a time.

Anne lifted her face after a while, and saw that Gilbert was now resting with a slight smile on his face. She wiped her eyes, annoyed at herself for entertaining such ridiculous imaginations. Her own exhaustion was beginning to make itself felt; looming exams and Professor Trelor's extra work load only added to the feeling of pressure. As she looked at Gilbert, she reluctantly had to admit that his anxiety was rubbing off on her as well. Watching him struggle with a self-imposed routine alone was gradually wearing her down, and she could do little for him apart from assisting in his exam preparations.

Anne sighed, refusing to feel hurt. He was simply focused on the end goal, and the time would pass, one way or another. Until he chose to speak to her about his fears, and to discuss what they would do if he didn't win the prize, she could do nothing but help him as best as she could, and focus on her own work. She mentally scolded herself for becoming so emotional over nothing, and resigned herself to what she had decided to do. The walk home from Redmond that evening had been the first time in days they had had a chance to talk properly- she knew it was this that had made her disappointment all the more keen. But she could do this. They were stronger than the things that came against them, weren't they?

Gilbert awoke with a start at that moment. She looked up, and quickly placed her hand on his cheek, speaking soothingly.

"You fell asleep, Gil. It's alright."

He looked at her groggily, and stretched. "Anne, I'm sorry, I did it again-" he said with a little groan. He looked at her a little more clearly then, and reached to touch her face.

"Anne, have you been crying?" he asked.

More tears came to her eyes then, and she tried to smile as she took a deep breath. "I suppose so. Gil, I can't do this anymore," she said softly.

The reaction was immediate, and a look of terror came to his face as he struggled to sit up. "Anne, what are you talking about?"

Anne rose to her knees quickly to touch him. "Oh, no, _no_ , love, it's alright; I didn't mean that, I promise." she reassured him, trying to smile. He sat back on the sofa, rubbing his face with one shaky hand, and clutching hers in the other.

"Are you _trying_ to kill me, Anne?" he queried, his breath still uneven. "Don't _ever_ wake me up like that."

"I'm sorry." she said feebly.

Gilbert took a deep breath, now fully awake. "Alright, let's try that again, shall we? _What_ can't you do, sweetheart?"

Anne rose to sit beside him, her hand still in his tightly. "You can't keep pushing yourself like this, Gil." she said slowly. "I think you need to stay at home through the week."

He went to protest, and Anne's look became firm. "Listen, Gil. You have fallen asleep nearly every night for the past fortnight, and then you still have to walk home when you wake up. And I _know_ you're not going to sleep when you get there. You need to be at home when you study, and then go to bed when you're done. Miss Stacy always told us that we don't retain information when our body is exhausted."

His jaw clenched in pain. "I'm not going to stop coming to see you." he said hoarsely. "I _need_ to see you." He pulled Anne onto his lap, his arms tightly around her. Anne sighed, as his face buried in her neck.

"You know I need you too, dearest." she said softly. She pulled back to hold his face then with a stubborn look. "But Gilbert, I need you _alive_. I need you functioning. I need you well fed and rested, and looking after yourself. I also know that you won't make this call yourself. So I'm doing it for you."

Anne accurately read the struggle inside him, and smoothed her hand over his chest. "It's just a season, Gil. I'm not going anywhere, you know that. When exams are over we can be as silly with our time as we like, but for now I need to be taking care of you better."

Gilbert sighed. Against his better feelings, he was ashamed to acknowledge a small relief inside of him- she had seen what a more together Gilbert would have logically seen for himself. He knew he couldn't keep doing this.

"When would we see each other, then?" he said, his voice showing his resignation.

Anne rested her cheek on his brown curls. "At college for lunch, perhaps? And would you save Friday night for me?" she asked.

"It's only one night." he said, his voice breaking.

Anne pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Do you remember when you thought you had only one more day with me?" she asked, lovingly. He gave her a little smile, holding her tighter. "Gil, we have a whole lifetime ahead of us. One day in the week can be enough for us, right now."

He shut his eyes at her wistful tone, and kissed her fiercely.

"Friday, then. And I can bring my books over on the weekend to study if I don't have extra classes." He sighed, knowing he already had some classes booked for the weekend to come.

"As long as Friday night is _ours_." she said firmly. "And if you fall asleep, I promise I will wake you without mercy. So you need to sleep through the week so you can stay up with me then." She then smiled slightly. "Just- please, tell me this is all worth it."

Gilbert shook his head. "You know the answer to that." He pulled back to look into her grey eyes, the same look he gave her when he told he was going to Redmond. "I have to do this. It's for _you_ , Anne."

She let out a deep breath, and tried to smile.

He held her in his arms for a long time that night, seeing that she needed him for comfort. His own heart drew comfort from her strength, her stability in a turbulent season. He watched her dear face as she talked to him, memorising every expression, every tone of voice; the scent of her skin against his cheek. They talked quietly together until it was time for him to go.

As Gilbert walked home that night, he was filled with relief and regret- relief for her understanding, regret that he couldn't offer her more than a distracted student for a fiance. His goals seemed to pulse inside him like another heartbeat- _Win the Cooper. Go to medical school. Marry Anne._

That was the pathway. He wasn't blinded, he knew that Anne was hurting about not seeing him- but she did what he should have known she would do- facing it bravely, and doing what had to be done. He would make it up to her when this was all over.

Gilbert walked down the road with the firm stride he had learned from his father. One foot after another, one day at a time. At the end of the road was a life with Anne, and he would walk the path doggedly until he got there.


	7. Chapter 7, The Little Foxes

**Note: The title of this chapter is a nod to Song of Songs 2:15, where the Beloved exhorts them to catch the little foxes that injure and may take some of the bloom off their love.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

By half past eleven in the morning on a windy Friday, Anne Shirley had most uncharacteristically decided that it had been a mistake to get up that morning.

Earlier that day had seemed more promising. She had walked to Redmond with an ecstatic Stella, who had just been selected for an upcoming Sociology panel. Anne lifted her face to the cool spring wind, carrying the faint scent of the ocean. Stella was speaking more excitedly than Anne had heard her in a while, and she chuckled listening to her.

"And Professor Spinner from the University of Massachusetts will be there himself to oversee the event, the one who first began a study of the developments of the slums." she said, enthusiastically. "Anne, you need to be there for this, Aunt Jimsie and the girls are coming-"

"Of course I will!" Anne said warmly. "You've worked so hard on that project, you deserve some accolades!"

"Oh, but I'm not there for the accolades-" Stella said piously, and then broke into a delighted laugh. "That isn't the slightest bit true, I _do_ want them, I have been working on it for over a year, while Jack Anderson and his boy's club took all of the credit! It took me over six months to convince them that I wasn't there to get them coffee, or to play secretary to them all." she said disgustedly.

Anne put her arm through Stella's. "Well, they certainly respect you now. Was it Jack who put you forward?"

" _Goodness_ , no; that was Professor Edmonds. Well, this is my class! I'll see you at home this afternoon, Anne."

Anne smiled, watching her go. In the rare meetings that Stella had hosted at Patty's place, she had seen how stubbornly Stella had fought to be taken seriously. Jack was a wealthy man's son, from a long line of businessmen and scholars- men who had coincidentally fought the inclusion of women in universities. He, in turn, had fought many suggestions Stella had made, only grudgingly conceding that her logic was flawless; not to mention that she had the support of the rest of the men, who knew a leader when they saw one. She had observed more than one pitched battle between Jack and Stella, and had caught the looks on the other fellow's faces when Stella scored a point- Anne was fairly certain that one of the reasons they were there was to observe the showdown between the two antagonists.

She moved towards her own classroom and caught sight of Gilbert in the distance, sitting on a low wall in the courtyard with a handful of papers in his lap. Quick as a deer, she ran across to see him, and lightly kissed him on the top of his curly head. His head came up in some confusion before a big smile crossed his face, and his arms wrapped around her waist. Anne's eyebrow quirked then, at the tired look in his eyes.

"Hey!" he said with pleasure. "I didn't think I'd see you today."

"I'm about to head to class;" she told him, stroking his cheek. "And I'll be seeing you this evening."

Gilbert's face fell. "Didn't I tell you? They put another tutoring session on tonight."

Anne took a deep breath, trying to keep her disappointment down. "Oh. No, I think you forgot."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I was going to come tomorrow, though- I thought we could walk down to the shore for the afternoon."

Anne smiled at him. "That would be lovely. I miss you," she added softly.

"I miss you too. But you'll be glad to know that I was in bed by midnight last night," he said with a grin. "And for every night with you that I miss, I make even more plans for our summer at home. I doubt you'll get a moment away from me then." He took her hand in his, and Anne sighed, looking towards her classroom.

"I should go." As he stood up, she adjusted his tie and gave him a big smile. "You go play with differential equations," she teased.

A voice sounded behind her. Anne turned to see Claire Hallett's smiling face, with two of her friends. "Oh, _he'll_ have fun. After all, you're with us; aren't you, Gilbert?"

He looked mildly surprised at the interruption but turned to face them courteously. "Claire, Susan, Emily; you know my fiancee, Anne, don't you?"

"Oh, _we_ know who she is," Claire said sweetly. "Come on, Gilbert. You know Professor Wheeler doesn't like us being late." They turned to go, Claire casting black looks at Anne as she went.

An unsuspecting Gilbert bent to kiss Anne on the cheek and grinned at her. "Have fun storming the English department."

Gilbert walked through the double doors, leaving Anne standing there thoughtfully. She turned on her heel and nearly ran into Phil, who hadn't been ready to leave when she and Stella had.

"Phew! I thought I'd miss the lecture. What are _you_ doing here, Anne?" she asked, puzzled.

Anne looked after Gilbert and gave a little sigh. "Oh, just saying hello to Gil. And meeting some of your lovely classmates," she said dryly.

"Oh?"

"Claire Hallett and some of her friends, I believe."

Phil snorted. "Oh yes, the Gilbert Appreciation Club. No matter, I'd better get in there and be his bodyguard. They're a little like birds; sometimes they just need a scarecrow to disband them."

Anne laughed, and turned to head for her class. As she walked, she thought a little glumly that a love for geometry may have meant she would see Gilbert a little more often- however, since she clearly had no wonderful gift for mathematics, that would need to wait. Anne thought with a little smile about Gilbert's plans for the summer. She blushed slightly, thinking of what a summer with Gilbert would mean. Though they had spent many years traversing the hidden hollows they had found as children, the thought that made that secret smile appear, was that they certainly weren't children anymore.

* * *

As she sat in her normal seat for the English class, Roy gave her a nod from his table next to her, as they waited for the teacher to arrive. The two of them had formed a cordial working arrangement, and Anne was surprised to find herself enjoying their time together. It came, however, at a cost.

A conversation made the two of them freeze, as it floated from the back of the room. Most of the class had not arrived yet, and the sound echoed through the hall.

"There she goes again, sitting next to him like she didn't just break it off last year."

Anne's eyes closed as she tried to ignore the girls until a babyish voice joined the first.

"It's really quite _shameful_ , I don't think that Gilbert knows how often she sees him. That's _if_ they're even engaged."

"Oh they are, I saw the ring- it's no diamond, though."

There was unkind laughter, and Anne had to force herself to breathe. In her peripheral vision, she saw a startled Roy watching her surreptitiously and her cheeks were bright red with shame.

"Maybe Gilbert was _forced_ to propose."

"We don't know what actually happened there- maybe she's playing both of them?" a voice asked thoughtfully. "He _is_ rich-"

"But Gilbert is _gorgeous_ \- good grief, I don't know what either of them see in her."

"Maybe she isn't as chaste as she would like to appear."

This was met with hushed laughter, and another voice broke in with a giggle. " _Alice_! That's completely scandalous. And there's no evidence."

"Well, look at them down there. _There's_ your evidence."

"Anyway, let's just hope it all falls apart on her- I wouldn't mind picking up _either_ of the pieces." The laughter erupted again, however to Anne's relief, the voices died down as the rest of the class entered and Professor Trelor took his place at the lectern.

Anne sat miserably through the lecture, feeling slightly sick. Roy's posture was stiff, and she could have groaned aloud at what he must think. Surely it confirmed everything he had feared last year! Her heart was hurting at the mere thought that they could be perceived any of them in such a light. And she _wouldn't_ tell Gilbert. He had enough to worry about right now without listening to malicious gossip. Again longingly she thought of June when they would be many miles from those who wished them ill.

At the end of class, Anne stood to leave with her books held close to her chest. She was surprised to see Roy standing several rows back, near the group of girls who were watching him with interest. His face was cool, his back resolutely to them.

"Anne, Professor Trelor has given me notes on my last essay. I thank you for agreeing to tutor me, at the professors' suggestion. Would you please give Mr Blythe my best when you see him. I enjoyed my conversation with your fiance the other day." Anne gathered her scattered thoughts enough to give him a brief nod and left the classroom swiftly.

The group of girls looked back at Roy in unflattering surprise, and he walked past them with a contemptuous look.

* * *

Anne took herself to the library for a few minutes, hoping for a brief respite before her next class. She sat in the corner of the great room at a desk, the walls and walls of books of the Redmond library rising around her. The desks were all empty right now, and she sat in a warm pool of sunshine, the dust sparkling in the shaft of light from the high windows. Anne let out a breath she seemed to have been holding, and buried her face in her hands.

The comments weren't anything she hadn't heard before; nothing, she was sure, that either Gilbert or Roy hadn't heard as well. Still, there was an insistent pang in her heart at hearing her love for Gilbert questioned, and at the glee the girls had displayed in wishing for her unhappiness.

She was awakened out of her reverie by the sound of Roy's cultured voice.

"I'm sorry." he said, stiffly.

Anne's head came up, her expression blank. A stern Roy stood before her, and she swallowed.

"Why would you be sorry, Roy?" she asked, subdued. "You bear no responsibility for what anyone said. And you didn't have to say anything in front of them, although I very much appreciated that you did."

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I thought speaking up might correct some of the misunderstandings. I believe the tutoring is putting us all in the path of more gossip. If you wish to desist, I understand."

Anne gave a tortured smile. "You may wish to stop yourself, Roy. I am horrified that they would speak so in front of you."

"Or you." He stood awkwardly, a slight flush on his pale cheeks. "I- I would prefer to not change tutors at this late stage unless Mr Blythe would prefer that you stop. Our time has been most beneficial to me."

She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Gilbert wouldn't pay attention to idle gossip either. I think it's alright to proceed if you still wish to."

"I do. And for the record, I think that the trust the two of you place in each other is- admirable."

He nodded courteously and left the room.

Anne watched him go and put her head down on the desk in front of her with a sigh. In the past, she had often been spoken about, however having it affect others was something she hated with a passion. She still remembered the snide comments that Diana had to put up with when they became friends- little sneers about her scrapes, her clothing and her looks. Di was indifferent to the slurs, however, each one stung Anne painfully. She thought of Gilbert with another pang, wishing she could find comfort in his arms. He had heard worse, and _known_ worse about her- and he loved her anyway. Anne's jaw set then as she stood, and she resolutely walked out of the library towards the lecture hall. She wasn't going to burden him with the maliciousness of other people, she would handle this the way she always had. She would focus on the people who cared for her, and that was all.

* * *

Three hours later, Phil entered the gate of Patty's place, looking around for Anne curiously. She had seen her leave their Philosophy class as soon as it had finished, and was taken aback- she herself had entered late with Stella, and the two of them had found seats towards the back of the class. Why had Anne left so quickly? The four girls normally finished their day at lunchtime and walked home together.

She dropped her books in her room and passed Aunt Jimsie in the hall coming through with fresh sheets, aired in the spring breeze.

"Has anyone seen Anne?" Phil asked as Jimsie dropped a pile into her arms.

"Put those in your room dear, I want those beds done by tonight." she said comfortably.

"I will, but where is Anne?" Phil said, puzzled. "Is she hiding in her room?"

"No, I was just there, dear."

Phil by this time was in the window seat, and looked out briefly, stopping with a little start of surprise. "Why, there she is- oh, good heavens, she's up a tree again. And in that skirt!" Phil frowned. Something was _definitely_ off. She walked purposefully back into Stella's room, surprised to see that Priscilla had arrived in the meantime from her own class.

"What do you both say to a picnic in the orchard?" she asked the two of them. "We can pull Anne down from her tree, and soak in some sunshine at the same time. I'll take some sandwiches out, and I'm pretty sure Aunt Jimsie made cookies this morning."

Twenty minutes later, she and the two girls could be found walking through the pines with arms full of plates. Jimsie had declined to join them but sent them out with some lemon cordial as well. Phil arrived under the tree she had seen Anne in and grinned up at her.

"Dinner has come to you, honey. You haven't eaten?"

She watched Anne shake her head, and carefully begin to climb out of the lower branches of the tree.

"I don't know how you still do that," Priscilla said, looking up at Anne doubtfully. "If I tried, I'm fairly sure I would fall."

Anne pulled the pins out of her dishevelled hair when she reached the ground and smoothed her hair back into her normal twist again. "You have to keep up the habit, I suppose," she said with a wry look. "I never told myself I was too grown up to do it, so I kept climbing trees. It's a wonderful restorative." She flopped down on the ground with the girls, gratefully receiving a plate of food from Phil.

The girls lay in the grass for some time, talking and relaxing. Anne wove a crown out of the daisies that were dotted all over the little orchard, and Priscilla sat playing with Phil's hair as they talked. Stella had the group laughing when she put Anne's theory to the test, and she decided that tree climbing was not for her after some unpleasant bumps and scratches. She subsequently went in to begin work on an essay she had due, and Priss drifted off towards the house as well, as it was her turn to cook that evening.

Phil had been lying back on the grass, and sat up now, a shrewd look on her face.

"Anne, I've never known you to be so silent before. You seem a bit off centre today."

Anne laughed dryly. "That seems accurate."

Phil watched her impatiently. "Well?"

"Well, _nothing_ ," Anne said, stubbornly. "I had an awful day; and I am so fed up with people's comments and scrutiny, that sometimes I wish it was still legal to cut out people's tongues."

Phil began to laugh. "Anne _Shirley_! You don't mean that."

"Oh, but I _do_." she said adamantly.

"Well, tell me about it."

Anne frowned. "No. It's just petty and ridiculous."

"So? I _like_ hearing about the ridiculous."

Anne let out a brief cry of frustration. "Phil, I wouldn't even know _how_ to tell you."

Phil giggled, only to have Anne's stormy grey eyes turn on her. "Sweetie, I've got an idea. I'll be back in a moment." She ran off, leaving Anne feeling bemused. Some minutes later, Phil appeared with a triumphant grin, lugging a long, slim bag with metal posts hanging out the top.

"Phil, what in the world-?" she said, confused.

"I'm taking a leaf out of my father's book, honey." She dropped the leather bag on the grass at Anne's feet and opened a small pouch at the side. "Daddy has some methods for stress release that are a little- _different_."

Anne's eyebrow rose. "Such as-?"

"Golf." Phil said smugly as she pulled a club out. "Now, you know I'm an only child. Daddy was so set on having a son that he had to check several times with the nurse that I _was_ , in fact, a girl. He adored me anyway, and took me everywhere he would have taken a son- including the Bolingbroke Golfing Club. He's a member there. He took me out to practice from time to time, never when he was playing with anyone else though- he was afraid he was being scandalous enough." She smiled. "Dad can get a little _over_ -involved in the game, and on his last round he bent three of his clubs around a tree. He had them sent to Kingsport for repair, they were dropped off to me so that he could pick them up at Easter when he takes me home." she said brightly.

Anne looked at sea as Phil dropped a little white ball in front of her, and handed her a club with an impish grin.

"Come on, honey. Tell me what's happened, and smack that ball down the orchard."

Anne began to laugh, and she held it back to the brown haired girl. "I can't do that!" she objected.

"Alright then, tell me what happened today," Phil said innocently.

She saw Anne's hand tighten on the club, and an angry sparkle come into her eye.

"Come on, sweetie. You may as well let it out."

"Alright Phil, _fine_. I have had enough of gossip." Anne said passionately. "Did you know that Roy and Gilbert and I are yet again being discussed like some third rate novel? That _someone_ -" she held the club in one hand and inexpertly swung, taking a clump of dirt from the grass beneath her. " _Someone_ suggested that Roy and I were seeing each other behind Gilbert's back and that Gilbert only proposed to me because he _had_ to." she said savagely. Phil gave a sympathetic smile, and redirected Anne to the ball at her feet. "I heard some girls discussing their suspicions while I was sitting not five rows away. And of course there was Claire this morning, just standing there and smiling, as if she could lay claim to Gilbert just by proximity. _And_ he is completely oblivious to the way that they all look at him." To her surprise this time the club connected with the ball, and Phil complimented her, dropping another at her foot.

"Alright, the crows were circling today, I can understand that," Phil commented. "That wouldn't normally worry you, Anne."

"Oh, and Roy heard the _whole_ conversation about my supposed lack of virtue," Anne said, incensed. "He was actually sitting near me when they started. And I thought he may have reacted badly to what they said about us; however, he even apologised for their words. Meanwhile, I feel as guilty and sullied as if I _had_ actually done something wrong, because Gilbert and Roy are both honourable men who are gossiped about because they are connected with _me_." she said in a bitterness quite unlike her normal self.

Phil took out a club of her own and far more gracefully swung to collect the ball neatly. She continued as if they were calmly talking over tea. "Anne, you know that they are simply jealous. Those girls have been chasing Gilbert since our first year, remember? They tried for over three years to get his attention, and why didn't they get it? _You_ , Queen Anne. It only added insult to injury that you were with Roy earlier, and broke up with him _for_ Gilbert."

Anne groaned. "Oh, I know. And you know I've been talked about before. But to have people publicly question my feelings for Gilbert is awful. And deep down I wonder if _he_ ever questions that- I behaved so poorly to him, as you no doubt remember."

She dug at the ground with her foot, before Phil pulled her into line again. "Keep swinging, honey. I tell you, this is how my father survives business meetings. What else?"

Anne took aim viciously, sending the ball flying behind her by accident.

"Lastly, and certainly not least: on the way to class I ran into _Christine_ of all people." she said through gritted teeth. "She had the nerve to compliment me on finally 'convincing Gilbert to propose', and then proceeded to tell me how very _concerned_ she was about him." Her next furious swing sent the golf club flying from her hands, and a red lock of hair to fall abruptly from the pins at the back. She stopped still, her eyes closed and breathing hard. "She said he's _terribly_ worn out, and doesn't seem very happy." Anne dropped to the grass in defeat. "And he doesn't." she said unsteadily. "And I know, I _know_ what he is doing. But he looks completely exhausted, and even when we're together, his mind is on his work." Anne's voice quivered a little. "I didn't think our engagement would feel like this."

Phil dropped beside her and put her arm around Anne. "Honey, I understand." She saw Anne's look and squeezed her shoulder. "No, honestly, I _do_. This is more than an engagement, isn't it?" Phil said candidly. "This is _limbo_. This is the place where it's all so uncertain, and no definite plans can be made. We're not designed to live in limbo indefinitely, it tears away at us."

Anne looked at her, amazed. "Yes, exactly; that's it. And it's not Gilbert's fault- I don't want him to do anything else right now- except that I _do_." said poor Anne. "I want him to be here with me every night, I want him to laugh and be his normal, cheerful, _awake_ self again. I want him to look at me with love in his eyes, and not see the equations dancing before them." She shook her head then. "And I know that it's selfish, and I'll never say it to him- but I just wish I could come first, again. I- I just miss him." She wiped a tear from her eyes with a little sob, and Phil rested her cheek on Anne's head.

"I know, sweetie. And you know that this _is_ all part of him putting you first; it _will_ end, and he will go back to being Gilbert again." She sighed, thinking. "Have you told him how you feel?"

Anne shook her head. "No. And I'm not going to."

"Do you want me to?" Phil asked her with candid brown eyes.

" _No_ , Phil. The only thing I have been able to do for him is to keep all of this nonsense away." Anne stated flatly.

"Anne, that isn't logical-"

She pulled away from Phil fiercely. "I won't have him worried about me as well as everything else. Evil-minded gossips, unfounded rumours, and my own selfish wants are mine to deal with. And you _mustn't_ say anything to him-"

Phil sighed. "Alright, I won't. And I'll come and hit golf balls with you every day if it helps. But if the subject ever comes up with Gilbert, I think it's alright to let him know that you're not doing so well either- he knows you are trying to protect him right now. But he needs to be able to protect you, too."

Anne lay back on the grass with a heavy sigh. "I know it's foolish to become worried over gossip. But the truth is that it's grown because of his absence. And because he _isn't_ around, it hits me harder. I know you shouldn't wish your life away, but it feels as if I couldn't wait until June- when we are back home and can lose ourselves in Mr Bell's back fields for twelve hours alone, if we like." she said, exhausted.

Phil looked at her in a manner faintly reminiscent of Mrs Lynde. " _Anne_!" she said, ever so slightly shocked.

The girl in question only laughed. "I think you just remembered that you are almost a minister's wife, dear."

Phil chuckled as well. "I suppose I did. Well, I know you islanders certainly do things differently."

"Yes, we do."

Phil stood up then, pushing her club back into the bag, and looking around for the balls.

"Thank you, Phil," Anne said with a sheepish smile. "I may have needed to vent a little today."

Phil held out her hand to pull Anne up. "Well, since this isn't over yet, and since Gilbert isn't visiting until tomorrow, _please_ come out with us tonight. There is a recitation evening held by the freshmen, with a reception afterwards. Don't stay at home moping, _come_ with us. You know Gilbert would steer you towards that as well."

Anne smiled at Phil affectionately. "Alright, I will. I have been at home too much lately, I suppose."

Phil watched Anne with narrowed eyes. "Now, next time you hear someone saying something unsavoury about the two of you, just let me know."

Anne looked at her in surprise. "Why?"

"Never you mind, sweetie." Phil tweaked her nose with another wicked smile. "Let's just say that hell hath no fury like a girl's best friends."


	8. Chapter 8, The Education of Roy

**Chapter 8**

As March continued, consistent warm weather continued to elude the city. Gusts of cool wind blew in off the bay, and the sunshine struggled to penetrate the morning fog before the girls headed to Redmond, still wearing their warmer coats. Trudging back and forth from the college, Anne gave a little sigh at the lack of warmth, somehow feeling that Gilbert's absence was causing it. He was cheerful enough when she had seen him, stopping for a hurried hug when they passed each other in the hallways. She knew that he was approaching some of his bigger assessments, and for a time Friday nights had been the only time she had seen him. She blushed then, thinking rather confusedly that he seemed to be trying to make up for his absence on those evenings. And make up for it he certainly _did_.

Anne in the meantime had been attempting to turn to her own work in Gilbert's absence, and had found that she was quite busy herself. Professor Trelor was happy with her progress in his class, suggesting several ways that she could use her degree after Redmond. She had promised him she would consider some of the options he had suggested, resolving to discuss them with Gilbert when she could. Anne had started applications to four different schools; one of them in Kingsport as the head of the English department. She felt a small measure of guilt doing so, knowing she had been away from Marilla for almost four years now- and after she and Gilbert were married, there was only the slightest chance that they would remain near Avonlea.

On Friday afternoon Anne and Roy could again be found in an open place on the main level of the library. The two of them had been steadily working for several hours, accompanied only by the noise of the clerk's desk, situated only a short distance away from the tables. Staff moved in and out of the small area, and every now and then the clink of a teapot could be heard; the thump of the stamp, and books being thudded onto the desk occasionally breaking the quiet.

It was late in the afternoon when Anne threw down her pen, rubbing her aching wrist. She looked out the windows wistfully, thinking that spring still seemed so far away; the slate of the sky hinting at the chill outside.

"Anne? Did you wish to stop for the day?" Roy asked courteously. "I can work alone if you need to go."

Anne came to with a little sigh. "Thank you; Gilbert is meeting me here at five. I'll be staying in any case until then."

"I haven't seen him around that much lately." Roy commented, bringing her eyes to his.

Anne smiled wistfully. "No. He's working very hard right now. He's aiming at the Cooper prize."

Roy raised his eyebrows and nodded. "That's ambitious."

She smiled then. "That's Gilbert."

There was a slightly awkward pause then, and to fill the space, Anne asked Roy a question she had been puzzling on for a little while. "Roy? May I ask you a question?"

He sat back on his chair. "Certainly."

"It is impertinent." she admitted.

Roy had a slightly amused look on his face. "You may still ask. I may chose to not answer."

Anne smiled at his little attempt at levity. "I was a little curious at the way you are pursuing your studies now. I never had the sense that you were interested in many of the classes that you took." she said hesitantly. To her chagrin, he looked uncomfortable. "You don't need to answer, Roy. It isn't any of my business." Her voice was gentle, and he relaxed slightly.

"Well, perhaps it does have something to do with you." he said, folding his arms, a wry smile on his face. "You and that Island of yours."

Anne was astonished. "The Island?"

He nodded. "There are quite a few of you from Prince Edward Island, some of whom I have made an acquaintance with. Yourself, Miss Maynard, Miss Grant. And of course, Mr Blythe." Roy continued, his face not betraying any particular emotion. "I have observed that you all work uncommonly hard." He carefully placed his pencil on the table before him, lining it up with the edge of the desk studiously. "I even wondered if that was something you saw lacking in me." he said slowly.

At this, Anne's face showed her horror. "No, no, Roy, of course I didn't think that. I- it was nothing like that. Stella, Priss, Gilbert and myself- we've all had to earn our way through college- we all taught school for two years to save to come here. I suppose that makes us work a little harder on our studies." she said, hesitantly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean any disrespect by that."

"I understand. I can certainly appreciate your dedication." He sat stiffly in the chair for a moment, and then his blue eyes looked at her coolly. "And I suppose more recently I wanted to prove that I was not here based on my family's money or position. That I had the same ability to work as- _others_ did."

Anne shook her head, her eyes stricken. "I never believed otherwise, Roy."

He nodded. "I believe some people may have. I decided to see if I could make up some of the time I had lost, if I could finish my degree better than I began it. I have found the attempt to be quite rewarding. I may even have surprised myself." he said with a slight smile.

Anne's smile was genuine. "I'm happy for you, Roy."

Roy nodded, and seemed to hesitate. "I believe you have asked your impertinent question."

"Yes. Thank you for humoring me." Anne said awkwardly.

"I wondered if I might ask one of my own."

She looked at him in surprise, but nodded. "Of course."

"I wondered if you might tell me of you and Mr Blythe." he said slowly.

Anne turned pale, her mind moving quickly. Why would Roy wish to hear of that, of all things? She was still trying to frame a reply, when she realised he was speaking.

"I have not observed a- closeness like your own before." He shifted in his seat, and his voice was low. "The relationships I have been accustomed to have not looked the same, have not treated each other with the same deference that I see in the two of you." Anne's eyes were wide, and Roy spoke quickly now, as if to get the worst over. "I have experienced other failed relationships in the past, and have no desire to go that way again. I- I wondered if there is something I perhaps had missed."

"Roy, would you really want to hear this from me?" Anne asked, her voice pleading with him slightly.

To her surprise, he gave a little chuckle. "There is no one else whom I know, that I would ask. Men of my station do not often marry for love, Anne. My peers marry those who carry wealth, irrespective of character or disposition. I am valued for my position and influence, as was my father before him." The last was spoken slightly bitterly. "I can assure you, I do not wish to emulate those of my circle. I want something better than that." He looked at Anne then. "I would only ask to hear your story."

Anne let out a breath. "Oh. It is complicated. It isn't exactly conventional, either."

He smiled. "I assumed so. And I believe we have some time before Mr Blythe comes."

Anne gave Roy a little smile. "Are you sure?"

His voice was calm as he answered. "Very."

Anne hesitated, and then gave a little nod. "I suppose it begins on a little island, far, far away- with a boy named Gilbert." She laughed then, coming back to her normal tone. "He was an only child, who was extremely bright and teased everyone, and he was used to being the center of attention. When he was only ten he had to go away to care for his father for three years, who was recovering from consumption. His education was put on hold to help his family." Anne looked at Roy, knowing he would see some similarities between them.

"When he returned to his home town, three years behind his age group, he tried his old teasing on the new girl in his classroom. She was, to say the least- terribly upset, and broke her slate over his head in front of the whole class, when he pulled her braids and called her _carrots_."

Anne laughed at the look of shock on Roy's face, who was obviously putting two and two together. "I never liked my red hair. I wanted to be beautiful the way that storybook heroines are. I was still new to Avonlea, and only eleven at the time. Gilbert's teasing hurt me terribly, and so I decided I would never forgive him. And I didn't for five years." She laughed dryly at Roy's raised eyebrow. "It was terrible of me. He was very sorry, and would have made it up to me if I had let him, but I wouldn't. We were intense rivals in the classroom- each determined to beat the other, although for Gilbert it was never done in bitterness. It forced the two of us to quickly catch up with our peers, and we soon overtook them. By the time we went to Queens to study, the two of us had equal first standing in the entrance exam." Anne said, honestly. "Gilbert apologised to me several times, he tried to make things right and even saved me from drowning, once. But I still refused him forgiveness."

Anne looked over at Roy, who was following her with a curious look on his face.

"After Queens, Gilbert gave up the school he was to teach at, so that I could stay home with Marilla when Matthew died. He didn't expect anything from me in return, it was just his good heart." Anne smiled slightly. "I had regretted not forgiving him for a long time, not that I allowed him to see that. But when he gave up the Avonlea school for me, we became the friends we always should have been."

Roy's face was inscrutable. "I was always told that boys and girls could not be friends." he said lightly.

Anne chuckled dryly. "And many in Avonlea would agree with you. People were exceptionally surprised to see us talking after so long. After all, disagreements do not stay a secret in a little place like our home town; especially when it involves a red-headed orphan smashing a slate over the head of one their finest sons. They didn't know what to think- although we were plagued with assumptions that I didn't care for. From that point we did everything together. We talked about everything, we climbed trees and explored, did our pre-college work together, and at times argued ferociously. We were most- unusual, you might say."

Roy's eyebrows were nearly at his hairline. "Climbed trees? Surely just when you were younger?"

Anne smiled at him, feeling no shame. She knew that Gilbert loved her very difference from other girls. "No. When I said we did everything together, I _meant_ everything. Our schools were in neighboring towns, so we even did that together too."

After a short silence, Roy prodded her, a curious look on his face. "Do you know when it was that the two of you fell in love?" Anne's face was worried, however he shook his head. "I'm interested in the story." he said gently. "It doesn't offend me."

Anne smiled. "Well- I honestly don't know." she said in a soft voice. "Gilbert figured out things very early on, and he tried to let me know that- but I wasn't willing to consider it, and hid anything from myself that I may have felt." She smiled at Roy sadly. "We remained close friends until the end of our second year at Redmond- when he proposed unexpectedly, and I said no. I thought it only destroyed our friendship, however it actually destroyed the two of us. It seems so silly now to think that I didn't understand why, but it was the truth. Even after the time apart I still couldn't articulate why it hurt me so much."

Roy folded his arms, watching her sorrowful face. Any pain he had felt was long gone, and he studied her carefully. "What happened then?"

After watching him for a minute, she sighed. "We spent our third year not speaking, and hardly having any contact with each other." Anne's lip trembled slightly. "It's why you wouldn't have seen him, as much as you might have expected of an old friend. We each believed that the other one didn't care at all. I desperately missed my best friend." Anne looked at Roy, trying to judge how best she could continue. "As you know, we were the bridesmaid and best man for Fred and Diana Wright over the summer." Anne spoke slowly, treading around the delicate issue. "The two of us were unexpectedly forced to talk- and to talk honestly after the wedding." She gave Roy a twisted smile. "The truth is that we spent many long hours shouting at each other. We're- _both_ extremely stubborn, and I at least have quite a hot temper- Gilbert is naturally more level-headed than I am. However the two of us were not at our best at that moment, and neither of us behaved particularly well. " She gave a pained little laugh then. "It was completely horrible. We hurt each other a lot in what we said, although not nearly as much as we had during our time apart. We thought any friendship we had was gone, and it was quite a shock to find out how much the other one had been hurting. We didn't ever expect to see each other again either, as Gilbert hadn't planned on returning to Redmond." she said honestly. "However, somehow we did."

Ever aware that parts of this history crossed over her own with Roy, she sought to finish it without too much detail.

"I didn't know that he still loved me, and I _really_ didn't know that I had loved him since we were young. I had no frame of reference for what love looked like." she said, her voice soft. "I seem to have spent so much time daydreaming as we grew up, that I didn't see him. I didn't see that the two of us belonged together, and that without each other we were falling apart. And I didn't understand that denying my feelings for Gilbert also meant denying a large part of myself." She gave a rueful laugh. "And those feelings must have been there for years. That is what I meant when I spoke to you about reading a book of Revelation in your life. It's all I have done since last June. I've had to revisit everything I thought I knew about myself, and I found that I had been wrong about me, and was terribly wrong about Gilbert."

Anne turned to look at Roy, who sat watching her openly. There was no look of censure, no hint that the story affected him in any way. Anne let out a deep breath, somehow knowing that he was not upset.

"And after you returned here?" he asked then.

Anne smiled. "Well, neither of us were emotionally in great shape. But we had made some progress- we had learned over the summer that the other one still cared, and so we picked up our friendship again. And slowly- _very_ slowly, may I add, I realised what I should have known all along." Anne sighed, with a little smile.

"As you know, we became engaged at Christmas. And right now- he's working so hard, because that is what Gilbert Blythe does. I wouldn't suppress that part of him, even if I could. He's always been like that. I don't love him because of his intelligence or his drive, although they are wonderful; I love him for being the boy who was willing to forgive me when I had done nothing to earn his friendship. For being the person who has always accepted me, flaws and all, and who knows me better than anyone ever has."

She looked to Roy nervously. To her surprise, he had a slight smile on his face. "Thank you. I'm- glad you and Mr Blythe were able to come to an understanding." He hesitated slightly, and in his thoughtful voice continued honestly. "It would have hurt to have only occupied second place in your heart."

Anne's eyes were sad. "Roy, I was so foolish. You must know, I would never have willingly hurt you." she said, her voice constricted.

His smile was firm, and Anne saw a steel in it that had rarely penetrated his dreamy expression. "I understand. And while we are discussing the past, I believe I must apologise for the way I questioned you when we returned here in September. It was beneath me to behave that way. I- I thank you for sharing this with me. You know I wish the two of you well." He closed the book in front of him, and fixed her with a slight smile. "And now I must find the one who is to love me the way the two of you love each other."

Anne smiled at him then, seeing the kindness in his eyes. "You certainly will. I wish you every success and happiness, Roy."

Roy gave a genuine smile. "Do you have any hints on finding her?" he said lightly.

Anne chuckled. "I would only dare to suggest that the right woman is the one with whom you feel safe, who has your complete trust. Someone who knows the real you- the best and the worst of you, and who makes you happy. Someone who is home to you."

Roy looked at her, considering. "And that's Mr Blythe for you?" he asked.

"Yes." she said, simply. "I know that you will find your home as well."

He smiled at Anne then, his head coming up as the gentleman in question entered the library. As Gilbert approached the desk, Roy stood to collect his papers.

"Mr Blythe, we were expecting you." he said politely. "Anne, I will see you shortly before the presentation." He nodded at her, and walked towards the front entrance, leaving the pair to greet each other.

Gilbert crossed to take his fiancee in his arms, holding her tight.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I got caught talking to Professor Morgan about the exam. Were you waiting a long time?"

She shook her head with a smile, tucking a red lock that had fallen behind one ear. "We only just finished a short time ago."

Gilbert looked at her, pulling back with a mock frown. "Do I need to be jealous, Miss Shirley? Closeted in this bustling open library with Mr Gardner?"

She laughed then, running her hands across his broad shoulders. "No, dearest. I just finished telling Roy a story."

"Oh? And what story would that be?" he teased. "Something new you've been working on in my absence?"

Anne's smile was brilliant as she regarded her beloved. "It was _ours_. Yours and mine. The most wonderful story ever told." she said, her eyes twinkling.

He laughed in surprise and took her hand, picking up the satchel of books from the table. "You told him that? The whole story?"

Anne's eyebrow rose, and she shook her head. "A heavily edited one, of course. He is one of the Kingsport Gardners, and couldn't possibly understand the scandalous ways of our Island." she said cheekily.

The two of them walked out into the late afternoon, both sighing as they crossed the road and walked into the trees they both loved. Gilbert studied her dreamy face. He hadn't told Anne about the conversation he had had with Roy- either of them. He _had_ hoped it would not come up…

"I'm curious, how did that question even arise?" he asked lightly.

Anne shrugged thoughtfully. "Roy was probably the person most affected by our separation, outside of the two of us. It's not unreasonable to think that he may have some questions. I would imagine our history is a little bit of a puzzle to him."

He laughed. "It is to all of us. He wasn't upset?"

Anne shook her head. "No. He seemed to genuinely want to know." She smiled then, as they strode along. "You once told me you didn't think that he loved me."

Gilbert winced. "Anne, I shouldn't have said that-"

She tugged on his arm then, a big smile on her face. "No, Gil, you were right. I'm sure he was fond of me in his own way, but you need to know someone to love them. And he didn't really know me. I'm fairly certain he knows now that he didn't, as well." She laughed then. "He didn't even know I had a temper; I think telling him of the slate shocked him terribly."

Gilbert laughed and kissed her cheek, pulling her close as they walked. "I love your temper, Carrots. Your fire and passion are some of the things I love most about you."

Anne smiled. "I know that you do. And it's just as well, you are the one who is marrying me." She gave a little sigh that brought his head around. "No, Roy is heart-whole, and plans to go looking for his true love." She looked up at him, her eyes teasing. "I did find out something that may interest you."

"Oh?"

"Have you noticed that Roy is a little more studious than in previous times?"

Gilbert's eyebrows rose. "I will say I haven't seen him at the library often." he said in a non-committal voice, and Anne chuckled.

"It was _you_ , Gil."

Gilbert looked at her in shock, and her eyes twinkled at him.

"I- I think he was jealous of you. He thought that that was what I admired most in you, and since we returned to Redmond, he has sought to prove to the world that he could apply himself just as well. _You_ inadvertently inspired him to make an effort for his education."

Gilbert shook his head, disbelievingly. "Anne, you can't be serious."

She smiled. "I think you will find, my love, that Roy has been measuring himself against the tall, ridiculously handsome captain of the football team, president of the student body and senior class, not to mention your unrivaled academic record, and that you are the favorite for the Cooper prize. And _no one_ measured against you would fare very well." she said simply.

Gilbert's face was frozen in shock. The wealthy, not-a-care-in-the-world Gardner trying to keep up with _him_? Anne slid her hand down from his arm to entwine her fingers in his. He smiled at her, a little lump in his throat. The only thing the two men had ever had in common was Anne. And it was _him_ who had won her.

"I _did_ tell him that your academic prowess is only one side of the person that I love," she said softly, and he clasped her hand tight in his. "However I didn't tell him everything- there are too many things that I love about you." Anne smiled at him. "I love your determination, and your passion. The way you explain things so patiently to others, the natural teacher that you are- Gil, I can see you teaching health to your patients, as well as curing them of their illnesses." She looked up at the sky dreamily, and he studied the curve of her white throat in the twilight. "I love your humor and your tenderness; I love the forgiving heart you have, and your passionate loyalty to the people you care for. And I love that after everything I put you through, that you still love me." she finished simply.

Gilbert pulled her into his arms then, thankful for the deserted park they were walking through. Even after all this time, he'd struggled, seeing her at the same desk as Gardner- for a brief second he had considered the possibility that the last seven months had merely been an insomnia-fueled dream. As he touched his nose to hers with a big grin, he looked into her loving grey eyes.

"You know I couldn't help loving you, Anne. I'm fairly sure that's why I was placed on this earth."

Gilbert pulled away from her then, with a teasing smile.

"Now, we'd better get going, sweetheart. We have only one evening together for the next fortnight, and I'm rather anxious to make the most of it." Gilbert pulled on her hand then, her laughter warming him like summer sunshine.


	9. Chapter 9, What We fear Is the Unknown

**Chapter 9**

Anne sat back from the dining room table in early April with a little sigh. Her hand was aching from writing an essay that she had serious reservations about. She frowned at the paper. The professor was known for asking cryptic questions, requiring students to think carefully through odd wording to find the necessary angle- the problem, Anne thought with a groan, was that fourth-year students had very little grey matter available for thought. Or she didn't, anyway. The sounds emanating from the lounge room during study nights seemed to indicate that it was a common enough problem.

She looked across the table at Gilbert, wistfully. Characteristically head down, and almost obscured from sight by the enormous tome he was writing notes from. She was glad for his presence, glad to see him- even if at times he felt like a ghost at the table. She gave a little smile then, watching his hand drift into the brown hair on his forehead. His hands were beautiful- broad hands that grasped life with confidence, that could yet hold her so tenderly.

She watched him for a few minutes before picking up her pen again, pausing to look out of the window. Early apple blossoms were even now falling from the trees in the light evening breeze, and Anne watched them float by the window with a wistful look- this year she would not get to see the fruit from the old trees, she would be gone from Patty's Place long before September came.

They were alone in the old house; Phil, Priscilla, and Stella had convinced Aunt Jimsie to attend a recital with them that evening. They had pleaded with Anne as well, however, it had been a week since she had seen Gilbert- Friday evenings had begun to change into the humdrum of extra classes and studying, and Anne was reluctant to lose even more time with him.

Cora Blythe had written several times asking her if Gilbert was eating and sleeping as usual; apparently, her own inquiries had not been answered to her satisfaction. Anne studied him now- he was still tired, she could see that. She got to her feet then, thinking that she could make a tray up: she could at least assure Cora she had been attentive while he was present.

When the tea was prepared, Anne with some difficulty pulled Gilbert from his books and led him to the cozy lounges. A fire had been laid in the grate to combat the cool of the early spring night, and he looked around him with the air of finding himself in an unknown place. He pulled Anne close for a minute, kissing the top of her head, before sitting down on the sofa with a thankful sigh.

"Anne-girl, it looks magical. How did you spin all of this without me knowing?" he asked, with a little smile.

Anne looked at him, surprised. "You didn't notice that I left the room?"

He looked sheepish. "I suppose I didn't."

Anne bent over the tea table, her back to Gilbert as she poured. She didn't want him to see the hurt on her face, or any disappointment at his response. She turned to him with his cup and went back to preparing a plate.

"Sweetheart, you're very quiet."

Anne looked up at him as she sat down, her look guarded. Gilbert was looking at her closely, and she was alarmed at the prickle in the back of her eyes, at the sight of his hazel eyes for the first time in a little while.

He sat his tea down on the table beside him and turned back to Anne. "Actually, now that I think about it, you've been quiet for some time. What's the matter?"

Anne smiled at him. "It's fine. We're here together, aren't we?" she said lightly, afraid that if he continued she would begin to cry. In truth, she was a more than a little highly strung- the tension surrounding the end of college had taken over the little house, and a part of her felt as if her own future lay on a knife edge.

Gilbert studied her with narrowed eyes. Was she a little thinner? How had he missed that?

"Anne, what's going on?"

There was a tension in his face that hadn't been there, and she cursed herself for being the reason it had appeared again. Old promises- promises to talk things through, to not allow misunderstanding to grow between them again swam before her, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I've just missed you, that's all. But we're here, now." she said, her voice reasonably even.

Gilbert's eyes were stricken as he surveyed the girl before him, able to see past the calm veneer she had erected.

"Anne, you know I miss you too- but tell me there isn't anything else that I need to know about." Fear that he thought had died the moment she said yes to him had flared into his heart suddenly, and it was with an effort that he shoved it down.

He was completely dumbfounded when she pulled away from him then, her eyes flashing. "What more is needed? You don't think missing you is enough?" she said tightly.

Gilbert sat back in shock and then shook his head. He tried to take her hand in his. "Anne, you know why I'm working this hard-" he pleaded. "This is necessary-"

She turned on him in frustration. "To the exclusion of _now_?"

"Anne, I _told_ you what I would need to do- you told me that you understood-" he said, frustrated.

"Yes, you _told_ me. You told me that everything would be alright _if_ you won the Cooper-" Anne emphasised deliberately. "You never told me what might happen if you didn't. Are we at stake?"

Gilbert closed his eyes, bewildered at how fast the situation was spiraling out of control. "Anne, what would make you say such a thing?"

Her lips quivered. "Because it feels as if everything is hanging on that one achievement; and one that is asking so very much of you- so much of us."

He exhaled loudly. "Yes, I know. I _know_ what it's asking. But it's the one way to get everything we are working towards- it's the one path that leads that way." he pleaded.

Anne's forehead creased under the effort of controlling her tears. "Gil, you won't even discuss what could happen if you don't- it's as if our whole future rests on this alone!"

Gilbert's voice was louder than he intended. "Anne, it _does_!" He saw the way she flinched and controlled his voice with an effort. "Anne, it won't be you wondering how to make a living when we have a family, it will be _me_. It already _is_ me. I need to do this, and that takes work. This is the chance I have to give you everything you deserve- and if I won't discuss an alternative, it's because I don't have the time for that. _This_ is the opportunity."

Anne made to move off the chair then, angry tears falling. "Gil, I already know the 'all or nothing' you, remember?"

His hands were faster than she was, and he pulled her tense body back to his side.

"Gilbert, let me go."

"No." he said quietly. "A _you_ that walks away terrifies me." he then said, his voice breaking. "Please don't walk away."

A moment went by, and he felt her relax against him slightly. He released his hold on her.

"Can we talk about this?" he asked.

Anne's grey eyes looked at him evenly. "Will _you_?"

His face was tense, however he nodded. "I- I don't understand the way you're thinking." Gilbert said after a moment. "I know that we miss each other- I know I'm working a lot- but this seems like more than that."

Anne put her face in her hands. His hand was warm as it rested on her back, and she swallowed then with an effort.

"Gil, what happens to us if you don't succeed this time?" she asked, turning eyes that showed her pain to him.

"What do you mean, ' _what happens to us_ '?" he asked, confused.

"I mean 'us'." Anne said bluntly. "Is there a future for us if you miss out on the scholarship?"

Gilbert recoiled in shock. "Anne, of _course_ there is! How could you even ask that? It won't be as easy, or as quick, but it's still there."

Anne tried to keep her lips from trembling. "You haven't said that to me _once_ in all this time." she whispered. "You put everything you had on the line, and it looked like you put us there as well."

Gilbert's eyes closed, and he pulled her into his ams. "Anne, is that what this is all about?" he asked her, bewildered. "I- I just didn't think it would help to talk of _not_ getting it. I thought I should just get on with it."

Anne leaned against him with a sigh and they were silent for a time until she spoke.

"Gil, what happened to us being partners in this?"

"We are-"

"No, this has been you doing everything on your own." she said, her voice unsteady. "I know that when we have a home and a family that my role will change. But I would like to believe that I'm no less a part of your work even then- as you are no less a part of mine. I thought that was what we were working towards."

"Anne, we _are_ working for that."

"Then let me work _with_ you." She looked at him then with tears in her eyes, wanting him to understand. "If for some reason you winning the Cooper prize isn't the path for us, we can work out a plan together. Did you think that was on your shoulders alone?" When he merely looked back at her, she gave a faint chuckle. "I _know_ you, Gilbert Blythe. You're the hardest worker I have ever known, and I know that you will care for me, and for our children wonderfully, no matter what happens. But isn't marriage about being joined together, for better or worse? I _need_ to know that we will be able to work through 'worse' together, that you won't shut me out whenever things become hard."

He watched her for a long moment in shock. It was such a simple request. How had he not seen that she needed reassurance? He knew her past, he knew the uncertainty she had lived in for eleven years. Of _course_ she needed something concrete to hold onto. Gilbert's hands came up to cover his face, and he groaned. "Anne, I'm an idiot."

She pulled his hands down, shaking her head stubbornly. "No. You aren't." She nestled onto his shoulder, feeling the knot of tension that seemed to have rested between them for several weeks begin to dissolve. His arms came around her again, and he held her for some time, his hand rubbing up and down her back comfortingly.

Eventually, he let out a long breath. "Anne, I still want to make the Cooper work. I still have to try for it-"

"I'm not asking you to stop," she said softly. "I wouldn't do that, and I'm especially not asking for more time from you right now. But I need to know that we will be alright- that it isn't an 'all or nothing' scenario."

He pulled back then to study her, his eyes narrowed. "Wait; Anne, you said earlier that you already knew the 'all or nothing' me. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Anne winced at her words. "Gil, it doesn't matter. I shouldn't have said it."

He looked at her for long moments, until suddenly understanding hit him, and he closed his eyes in pain. "You meant the orchard, didn't you?"

She was silent then, and he knew he had his answer.

"I'm sorry." she said softly. "All your focus has been on this one thing- and you wouldn't talk to me about it. I didn't know if you would decide that it was all too hard-"

He cut off her words with a hard kiss on her lips. "No! Anne, you know it wouldn't affect us in that sense. We're together, no matter what." he said in a whisper. She sighed then, her head resting against his cheek as he held her close to him. "You scared me." he admitted.

She gave a wry smile. "You scared _me_."

After a minute, Anne sighed and rose to her feet, pulling him up with her. "I need to make a fresh pot of tea, I think. We can talk while I do it."

Gilbert let her lead him to the kitchen, more relieved than he could express. He hadn't seen the pressure he had put her under, hadn't seen anything but the goal at the end. A knot that had seemed to twist tighter every day inside of him slowly began to unravel- even he knew that he had put himself under greater strain than was sensible. Had he really lost sight of Anne through all of this? His darling girl, believing he could actually walk away from her?

Anne was right- either way, they both needed to know that there was a future together, no matter what. Suddenly cheered, he pulled her in to give her a tight hug and walked out to the dining room. Anne followed him anxiously, to find him picking up his books.

"Do you need to go now?" she asked, worried. He looked up at her, finally seeing with chagrin that Anne expected him to put his studies before her now. The thought hurt him, and he shook his head trying to smile.

"No, I just think we need some study-free time right now." He was relieved to see her answering smile, and she nodded as she went back to the kitchen.

A little later, as they settled in front of the fire in the warmth again, he pulled her close to him. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"Don't, Gil-"

"No-" He stopped while she buried her face in his shoulder, her arms slipping around his waist securely, and sighed. "I don't want to leave this unsettled."

She closed her eyes. "It's not, Gilbert; I promise. I just needed you to tell me that we would be alright, no matter what."

His face fell. "Anne, I thought you would know that without me saying so."

She gave a wry little smile, and sighed. "Perhaps under normal circumstances, I would. The last few months have not been normal though." She stroked his chin with gentle fingers. "It was starting to feel like our time together was a bit of a dream." she added softly.

He caught her hand in his and kissed it. "I'll try and do better-"

At that Anne sat up, frowning. "No. Gilbert, listen to me. I don't need you to do anything differently," she pleaded. "I meant what I said, I'll be here though all of it. I only need to know-"

"That everything will be alright, even if I don't get the scholarship." he said gently cutting her off, wanting to show her that he understood. "And I promise, it will." he said firmly. He hesitated for a moment, not looking at her. "I- I didn't want to tell you that I've been afraid that I really might not get it- not to mention talking about what that would mean for us."

Anne had a slight smile on her face, and tears in her eyes. "Thank you." she whispered. He gave her a bewildered look. "Thank you for telling me."

He gave a wry chuckle. "I guess I should have told you a while ago."

He wrapped his arms around her securely, slowly feeling the tension leave her body. He gave a little sigh and frowned. She _had_ lost weight, and there was an expression of worry that had rested on her face for many weeks now. Worry because of him. He felt an overwhelming gratitude to her, to this impossible girl who loved him enough to embark on this uncertain road to the future. As the two of them sat relaxing in the warmth, he whispered to her of his love, and how sorry he was; and she shushed him, holding his face tenderly in her hands.

As the two of them sat in a comfortable silence, Gilbert let out a long breath. He hadn't told anyone just how worried he had been- and he certainly hadn't wanted to worry Anne so close to her own end of year exams. He gave a wry internal chuckle. So apparently not talking wasn't the best way to handle the stress…. He held her close to him with a little sigh, allowing his mind to drift. She was here, she was with him. They would face tomorrow when it came.

It seemed like only minutes later, when Anne suddenly felt someone squeeze her hand. She lifted her head drowsily to see Phil's twinkling eyes looking into her own, and then felt Gilbert stirring beside her. The two of them looked at each other in some surprise, and Anne's cheeks flushed; however Phil seemed to have abandoned her teasing for the moment.

"Jo and I left a little early, so Aunt Jimsie and the girls will be here in a few minutes. I thought you might want a little time to prepare yourselves for company."

Gilbert grinned sheepishly as he stood and stretched, seeing a smiling Jonas waiting at the door. "Thanks, Phil." He turned to Anne as Phil returned to Jo, brushing the hair back from her face gently. "Sweetheart, we've both been under too much pressure lately; we're exhausted. I should be going. Walk me out?"

The two of them walked together silently down the stone steps of the house. At the little gate Gilbert dropped the satchel he was carrying, and held her tightly in his arms. He sighed at the feel of her body against his, and at the comfort of holding her and being held. They stood there for some time, silent under the starlight. Eventually, he pulled back to look into her eyes.

"Thank you." he said softly.

She looked at him puzzled. "For what?"

"For telling me what was bothering you."

Anne smiled sadly. "Gil, I wasn't planning to at all. I'm sorry it came out when I was upset."

He gave her a searching look. "I'd rather deal with it now than months down the track, Anne." He frowned, looking at her thoughtfully. "What should I have done?"

"Gil, you were doing the best-"

"No, I'm asking what I could have done better." he said stubbornly. "You know this isn't over, there won't be any resolution for months yet. I need to know what to do." His throat worked furiously, and she saw the way his jaw clenched. "I can't lose you."

Anne shook her head, her arms tightening around him almost painfully. "You won't."

"Then tell me what I should do?" he insisted, and Anne's look was wistful.

"Talk to me. Tell me what worries you. All those times I asked you if you had thought about an alternative plan, you could simply have said you didn't know yet. You didn't have to have it all together before you spoke to me."

"But I didn't want to worry you." he argued.

Anne laughed. "Gil, don't you see? I worried anyway. Did you think I wouldn't notice your state of mind? We're kindred spirits, aren't we?" she teased. He only smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her red head.

She fiddled with the lapel of his coat then, with a sigh. "Gilbert, do you realise we just had our first disagreement? Does that bother you?"

He studied her face. "No, we didn't. And it doesn't."

Anne looked at him in disbelief. "Gilbert, you can't say that wasn't an argument-"

The schoolboy look that she had missed was on his face again, and he grinned at her. "Oh, it was one. But calling it our first is ignoring an awful lot of our history, Miss Shirley. You didn't speak to me for five years after the _real_ first one, we had arguments every other day when we were teaching together, as well as during the first two years here. And do I need to remind you of the schoolhouse?"

Anne's cheeks flushed, and she gave him a light slap on the arm. "That is completely unfair to bring that up-" she protested.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm making a point. We've always argued whole-heartedly, we shouldn't be afraid of it now that we're engaged. I'm sure we'll disagree often enough when we are married." Gilbert said practically. His look was tender then, as he continued, holding her hands to his chest. "And I needed a wake-up call. I didn't know how my actions were affecting you, and I'm sorry."

Anne smiled. "Well then, I'm sorry for not handling it as well as I could have." she said, putting her arms around his neck as he kissed her gently.

"What do you say to a picnic tomorrow?" he proposed suddenly.

Anne blinked at him. "Don't you have an assessment due on Monday?"

Gilbert grinned. "Actually, before this all started I was on the final question. I'll complete it in the morning, and come for you at noon. Do you think the girls would like to come as well? We don't have many more months left with everyone."

Anne sighed, with a big smile on her face. "I think it would be wonderful. However, when we are done, I think we should plan to get lost in the orchard for a time. Alone." Her eyes sparkled at him mischievously. "I'm sure we can find something to occupy ourselves with."

He laughed as he held her to him, his throat constricted by unexpected emotion. What he had ever done to deserve Anne, he would never know. He kissed her goodbye then, his forehead resting against hers briefly before he pulled away, leaving her under the leafy archway in the starlight.

Anne stood there watching until he disappeared from sight. A gentle breeze blew up from the harbour, and she imagined it washing away the remaining worry in her heart. She walked to the steps to sit down and leaned against the railing. Anne closed her eyes, as a tear ran down her cheek. She knew why Gilbert had been concerned, she had been as well. From the moment he had placed the pearl ring on her finger, they had both known that no time frame could yet be attached to their promise- and in that uncertainty fear had easily grown.

In Anne's wakeful nights, she had imagined herself walking towards him, her arms full of roses. And yet in her mind the aisle had never seemed to end- always walking, always seeing him smile at her in the distance. There had been times before in her life when her imagination would falter, where she would be unable to make her daydreams play out- and a little fear had lodged in her heart, that perhaps this was all too good to be true. More tears fell now, and in them was both unacknowledged grief and its subsequent release.

In the distance she heard the merry voices of the ladies. She wiped her eyes, but stayed on the steps to greet Priss, Stella and Aunt Jimsie. Aunt Jimsie looked at Anne curiously, and let the others pass into the house before her. She pulled her long black skirts in daintily, and sat herself beside the girl on the step.

"We passed Mr Blythe on his way up the road a short time ago. Have you been out here long, dear?"

Anne gave a little smile. "No. Gil only just left."

Jimsie looked at her fondly. "You know, you remind me of my Elizabeth, dear. When she would see Henry off to India again. Sometimes I wonder if I should have given in and just let her marry him at eighteen."

Anne's lip trembled. "I'm afraid that's not possible for us yet." she said unsteadily.

"I know, dear. Did you tell him how you felt?" Anne looked at Jimsie's soft blue eyes, bewildered. She smiled at the girl. "I see more than you think, Anne. He'll pull his head out of the clouds soon enough. Sometimes men can be a little single-minded."

Anne chuckled and sighed. "Well, Gilbert is certainly that. I know he has to focus on getting into Medical school now- and I know that he is ultimately doing it for us."

Jimsie put her arm around the girl comfortingly. "It _is_ for you, dear. But you still need to let him know if something is worrying you. Did you do that?"

Anne nodded.

"Good girl." Jimsie stood up then, shaking her skirts out. "Now, I can hear the kettle being boiled, the girls and I were going to have a cup of cocoa before bed, dear. Will you join us?"

Anne smiled, getting to her feet. Jimsie patted her arm as they went to go inside. "And just _think_ , dear. When Gilbert is qualified, being married to a doctor will be such a comfort when you have little children coughing and sneezing through the night! A few years is nothing to wait, compared to that peace of mind, believe me."

Anne followed the older woman up the stairs, smiling. As she had spoken, Anne's imagination had shown her a new picture- a curly-headed little boy on Gilbert's knee, crying lustily about the cut on his very dirty finger. She smiled as she closed the door behind them. Yes, that was a future worth waiting for.


	10. Chapter 10, Moving Forward

**Chapter 10**

Phil met Gilbert at the front door of Patty's Place the following Saturday, with a big smile.

"Well, well! Don't you look much better!" she said with a saucy look, as she ushered him in to wait.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Yes, _Ma_. I'm fine."

Phil clipped him over the ear lightly. "And luckily for _you_ , Anne is as well, now."

He observed her narrowed eyes with an awkward smile. "So I'm guessing you knew she wasn't doing so well." He put his hat down on the side table, and seeing that Anne was out of the room, he decided to give as good as he got. "Is there any particular reason you didn't just tell me I was being a royal idiot?" he asked.

Phil grinned. "Oh, there is. Anne wouldn't let me. Nearly threatened to dismember me if I so much as hinted at it. You've no _idea_ what a temper that girl has."

Gilbert was the one to laugh now, somehow hearing the crack of a slate ringing down through the years. " _I_ have no idea? Let me assure you, I know that _extremely_ well. I love that about her."

She leant against the dining room door, thoughtfully. "Look, if it had gone on any longer I would have. However, the way I see it, you were both trying to protect each other. You can't fault that motive. Now, are you coming for Sunday dinner tomorrow?"

Gilbert nodded and smiled, watching Anne come down the staircase with a light step, only to disappear into the kitchen.

"Good. Come home with us after the service, Jo has something he wanted to talk to you about. We've all missed you." she added candidly, and Gilbert made a face at her.

"You mean you miss someone to chop wood for the stove, don't you?"

Phil gave a cry of outrage, at his cheek. "Honestly! I'll have you know that we women take care of the outside work around here quite happily, Mr Blythe. And your fiancee is the one who splits the best kindling."

Gilbert grinned at Phil as Anne came to stand beside him carrying a big basket, with an even bigger hat on her head. "Of course she does. _I_ taught her how to do it." He winked at Anne and took the basket from her. Phil shook her head with an amused smile and waved the couple out the front doors.

Once outside, Gilbert attempted to peer underneath her hat. "Sweetheart, I almost can't see your face under that thing!" he protested.

Anne looked up cheekily. "That should mean that the sun won't either. And I need to prevent any more freckles from coming before Convocation."

"I love every freckle that you have- including all those I haven't discovered yet." he said with a grin that made Anne blush heatedly.

* * *

"It looks as if spring has finally arrived." Anne said thoughtfully, as they walked hand in hand through the park. "The cold seemed to hang on for so long, this winter."

"I liked it." Gilbert said airily. "So much time spent with you all nice and snuggled up in front of the fire." He saw her smile, and winked at her. "We need to have a big fireplace, I think. In our own house."

Anne chuckled. "That would be lovely. Although you know how much we've been looking forward to a summer, Gil. So much warmth and countryside to lose ourselves in."

Gilbert grinned. "That's why I suggested taking lunch to the park. I found a secluded little corner that something tells me you will love. It's not Avonlea, but for now it will do."

The corner turned out to be a little ring of trees that sheltered a larger tree, whose roots spread out comfortingly alongside the grass. Little patches of violets had sprung up in the shade, and hedges grown wild shielded the little spot from the casual observer's eyes.

Anne looked around her delightedly. "You do find the most wonderful places, Gil. It's like something out of a fairytale. The mushrooms are plentiful, and have you noticed that the grass is darker here in this little circle? Almost as if fairies had protected it from the late frosts."

Gilbert chuckled as he shook the rug out on the grass, and pulled Anne down to sit next to him with a hug. "I think the trees did that, sweetheart." he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Anne scowled at him. "Thank you for that assessment. Of _course_ there are fairies involved. Who else would have summoned the trees to protect the spot?" she asked.

He shook his head with a laugh. "Alright, I conceded your version is far more interesting. However, you are all the fairy I need, Anne."

They ate in the sunshine, talking quietly and listening to the not so distant roar of the ocean rushing against the rocks. Down the hill from the picnic spot was a sharp drop to the boulders below, a deeper spot in the shoreline avoided by most. Up on the hill, it was peace and warmth, and Gilbert stretched out on the blanket, his head in Anne's lap, listening to her talk. When she had been silent for a time, spinning dreams in the sunshine, Gilbert took her hand.

"Sweetheart, I need to tell you something. I did something stupid." he said, causing her hand to pause as it stroked through his hair. He looked at her and caught her hand in his. Anne simply looked at him, and he grinned at her shamefacedly. "I mean that I did something without thinking about the time involved. I'm busy now, and we're still only spending one night together, and now I've gone and done this-"

Anne laughed. "Oh, for goodness sake, just spill it, Gil. You know I'll hear you out."

"I know. I just wish I'd spoken to you first." He gave her a half smile. "I volunteered to tutor someone on Saturday mornings for a time."

Anne's eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

Gilbert sat up then, brushing some grass off his grey waistcoat and his shirt sleeves. "Mrs Saunders gets someone in once a week to help out with the washing, a lady who lives a few street away from my building. She has a nephew that she raised, he's about fifteen. He started coming with her when she comes to the boarding house, I found him in the study working a couple of weeks ago. There are four other children at home, so it's not a very quiet place to work. The father minds the children on Saturdays, he works at the railroad through the week. They're all very hard workers." Gilbert explained. Anne's head was on one side, watching him curiously. "Anne, he's just like us. He's smart as a whip, and he's trying to get ready for the entrance exam at the Academy here in Kingsport- he's been working after school for the last year to save to go, and is planning on working his way through college as a teacher." He grinned at her in excitement. "He's already taught his cousins to read."

"What of the rest of the family? Are they supportive?" Anne asked.

"I think so. The aunt doesn't smile much, and she seemed a bit suspicious of someone offering to help him, until I told her I was a qualified teacher. She relaxed a bit then, and has said I could help him get ready for the Entrance. Poor kid, he's been trying to get by on his own, and he's incredibly ambitious- he'd have given you and I a run for our money."

Anne threw her arms around him with a glad cry. "Gil, that's brilliant of you!" she said, much to his surprise, and beaming at him proudly. "If you hadn't volunteered then I _would_ have!"

Gilbert laughed, rubbing his hands along her back. "I thought you might say I was too busy."

Anne pulled back with a stern frown. "Gilbert, you and I are here because someone helped us- because people believed that there was something in us. Of _course_ we should pass that on. Practically speaking though, do you have the time to meet with him?"

Gilbert smiled. "I think I can do it. I do want to squeeze some more time in with you though."

Anne shook her head with a little sigh. "It's just not the time, Gil. It's alright. I know it will be soon. You need to help this boy. What's his name?"

"Timothy Blackwell. His parents died when he was four, he's lived with his aunt and uncle ever since then. They are good to him I believe, in their own way. He wants to pay them back for what they've done for him."

"Of course." Anne eyed him seriously. "Gil, promise me that if it becomes too much for you that you will tell me, and I'll help- he can have two teachers instead of one."

Gilbert grinned at her, amused. "It's a deal. He'll come to the boarding house on Saturday mornings, Mrs Saunders is thrilled. She's known the family for years- she remembers his parents as well."

Anne gave him a gentle smile. "That's so wonderful. He'll need more support as he grows- and it's a gift that she knew them."

Gilbert pulled her to him then, thinking of the parents Anne never knew. He held her close, remembering with some guilt that he hadn't written to his parents in a while. He really _had_ to pull himself together. He looked down at her wistful face and leant down to kiss her cheek.

"They'd be so proud of you." he whispered.

Anne didn't question how he knew where her thoughts had gone. "I think they might be." she said softly. "Ever since I read their letters, I feel as if I knew them just a little better- and I know that they loved me."

Gilbert pulled away from her, his hands on her shoulders. He frowned, alarmed. "Anne, what letters? You never had anything that belonged to them, you told me that-"

"The letters that I received when I- when- when- " she faltered then, her eyes wide. "Oh, Gilbert- I never got to tell you!"

She told him then, of her trip to Bolingbroke with Phil two summers ago, the visit to her birthplace, and the precious letters that had been found in the little yellow house. Gilbert sat amazed, seeing the joy in her eyes. He held her close to him, a grief nevertheless inside. He smiled into her eyes, some of the sadness showing.

"I wish I could have been there for you." he said quietly.

Anne smiled at him, her face wistful. "I wanted to tell you, but- I didn't think that you would-"

He hugged her tightly. "Come on sweetheart, that's enough of that. We'll probably be tripping over memories of things that happened in the fourteen months for some time."

"And two weeks-" Anne added placidly.

Gilbert rolled his eyes at her comment. "What is it about you and the two weeks?" he joked. "The fourteen months was the awful part."

Anne stretched out on the blanket lazily in the sunshine, her arms clasped under her red head. "I don't know why I kept count." she said slowly. "I never did it consciously. But I do remember that two weeks before Diana and Fred's wedding, I was heading home on the train alone and thinking of you. And I realised then that it had been fourteen months." She smiled up at him, reading the shadow in his eyes. "You never left me, Gil. I know now how it seemed to you- but it wasn't the truth. There was a phantom you walking beside me the whole time- a _you_ who worked alongside me, and who laughed with me, and knew me. You were there with me the whole time."

Gilbert's eyes stung at her words, and on an impulse, he laid his curly head against her breast with a little sigh. Unseen by him, she smiled, and her hand came up to cradle his head, sensing his need for comfort. They lay there for some time, until he lifted his head with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I just needed to- I don't know."

Anne wouldn't have a bar of his embarrassment and smiled at him lovingly.

"We passed the time apart, Gil." she whispered. "We won't go there again."

"But we will be apart." he said, not looking at her.

She sighed, putting her hand on his chest with a little smile. "No, we won't be. I know I'm quite securely in there, no matter where we both are." She tapped him on the chest, and he laughed, laying back against the green grass again, her hand in his.

"You're right. You know, this is the laziest thing I've done in ages." he said thoughtfully. "I could use a bit more of this."

Anne looked across at him, with an apologetic smile on her face. "Soon, Gil."

He wiggled his head from side to side then. "Well, what if it was now?"

Anne frowned. "We _are_ here now."

"No, I mean doing this more often. I've been thinking that I need to ease off a bit on the weekends."

Anne sat up then, looking down at him warningly. "Alright, Gil, I know this has been hard, and I know that I haven't made it any easier for you- and I've probably asked far too much of you at times- but if you think I am letting you give up on your dreams, or of stopping you from achieving-" she said crossly, before Gilbert stopped her with a tug on her hand.

"Now now, Miss Shirley, you're not actually listening to me-" he teased.

"I _am_ listening- and I'm here to support you, not to take you away from coursework. If I'm distracting you then we just have to handle that-"

He laughed then, making a puzzled Anne stop talking. "Anne, look, I need to talk to you about something. This is the problem with seeing each other less often- I don't get to tell you things straight away. I spoke to Professor Fredrickson this week."

Anne looked at him startled, as Gilbert lay back on the blanket, his eyes on the canopy of trees overhead. He seemed calmer than he had been in months, and Anne paradoxically found herself a little worried. Their argument shouldn't have caused such a change- hadn't she made herself clearer than that? She didn't want him to alter anything, she only wanted him to _talk_ to her. He couldn't be giving up, could he? How could she forgive herself if he did?

She propped herself up on one elbow to study him, looking at a completely untroubled face. She smoothed her fingers over the little worry-line still etched between his brows, watching him smile at her touch.

"So?" she asked lightly.

Gilbert chuckled. "So I got some big assessments back last Friday."

Anne's face turned worried now. "Last Friday? You found out last _Friday_? Oh, Gilbert- and I just had to spill everything that night." she said with a groan, burying her face in the nearby blanket. "I'm a terrible fiancee."

He laughed then, rolling over to look at her. "Anne, would you just let me finish the story?" He waited until she looked at him, and paused momentarily at the sight of her lying beside him. Unable to resist for a moment, his hand rested on her waist, and he leant down to kiss her lingeringly. He pulled himself away with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I just had to do that." He lay back then, taking her hand in his tightly. "I was really disappointed in the marks, and I went into a bit of a tailspin, to be honest."

"Dearest, I'm so sorry-" she said softly, and he only laughed.

"Don't be."

"Gil, it's all right- we'll find a way, you know that-"

At that point, he pulled her closer and rolled so that she lay almost beneath him. He grinned into her surprised face and kissed her again. "Shh. I'm telling this story, remember?"

Her cheeks flushed, and she nodded, trying to ignore the way her heart raced at the weight of his body on her, and the way his warm hand rested on her ribcage.

"I went home after our- _discussion_ on Friday night and took another look at the marks. There wasn't one of them under ninety percent."

This caught her attention, and she looked at him bewildered. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that for two of them I got ninety-three, one of them ninety-four and the last was a most disappointing ninety-one."

Anne frowned, trying to see the issue. "And you were upset because-?"

Gilbert chuckled, and she giggled with pink cheeks as she felt his laugh course through her body.

"Because I was beating myself up about it not being one hundred percent." He moved back from her with a reluctant grin, reaching a hand up to brush over her cheek. He lay down beside her again, and sighed. "I didn't even realise that that was the benchmark I had set for myself, or let myself consider how unreasonable it was." he said frankly. "I got home from seeing you, and when I looked at them again I got a bit of a wake-up call. I started to see how insanely I'd been pressuring myself."

Anne quirked an eyebrow at that but kept silent, aware of how often she had tried to interrupt him.

"When I met with Professor Fredrickson yesterday, he told me that I was on track, and leagues ahead of the others. " Gilbert gave a little grin, seeing the proud smile on her face. "It doesn't guarantee anything, and I certainly can't slack off now- there's a reason no one has been able to win the Cooper for five years." he said absently, rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand. "The committee get to know the candidates pretty well. He knows why I want to win, he knows this has been a dream of mine for a long time. But he's also seen others burn out, and saw me going the same way."

Anne's lips tightened, and she blinked back the tears in her eyes. It was one thing to worry herself- it was far more frightening to know that she wasn't merely imagining it. She sat up then to watch him talk, trying to reassure herself that he was relaxing now, so he would be fine. She crossed her legs in turk-fashion, her skirts brushing against his arm, and held his hand securely in her lap. He looked up at her thoughtfully.

"He told me his concerns, and then he changed tack, and told me a story about the building of the Taj Mahal. He said that legend has it that Shah Jahan began the construction of the monument to his late wife, around her very coffin."

Anne nodded. "I remember."

Gilbert's face was sober, and he played with her hand in his gently. "Professor Fredrickson told me that he had visited it himself many years ago. He talked with the tour guides extensively while he was there, and he was struck by another legend they told him that was attached to the building. He said that Shah Jahan would come every day for seventeen years to inspect the building, and to pay homage to his dead wife." He swallowed then. "One day when he was walking through the temple he stumbled over a wooden box, and in frustration ordered it to be thrown away." He looked up at Anne, knowing by the look in her eyes that she understood. "It was his wife's coffin. He became so consumed by what he was building, that he forgot who he was building it for." he said simply.

Anne shook her head, her eyes grief-stricken. "Gil, you didn't do that; it's not the same." she said unsteadily. "You must know that."

He looked at her frankly. "Isn't it, Anne? The professor wasn't exactly talking about you, or us- he spoke to me about remembering why I'm doing this. I never exactly forgot that I was doing it for us- but I realised that killing myself and you along with me in the present isn't doing our future any favours." He let out a long breath and gave her a half-hearted grin. "And look, I know I can't change too much right now. I'm still going to be absent at times, and there is a part of me that won't relax till I know one way or the other. Classes are going to get in the way, and I'll probably still worry over my marks." Gilbert's hold on her hand had not released, and he ran one hand up her slender forearm, watching the grey eyes that held his own intently. "But I realised that even if everything does go to plan- when I'm here at medical school I will _kick_ myself if I waste all my time here with you worrying about things I can't change." he said, his voice sounding raw, making Anne's eyes teary. "You and I still have a lot of work to do before we finish, and I know we've got big decisions ahead of us. And I know I've just added a bit more to my workload with Timothy's studies. But I don't want to neglect the one thing that gives me a reason to work this hard- and that's _you_."

He tugged on her hand then, pulling her until her face was just above his. There was such a tenderness in her expression that his heart thudded, and he held her face in his hands as he kissed her, loose red curls falling over his face. There was a little sigh and he pulled her even closer, caressing her pink lips with a hunger that only seemed to grow. It was many minutes later when he felt her pull back, her cheeks flushed, and breathing quickly. Gilbert was in a similar state, and he sat the two of them up with a sheepish grin. He took her hand in his, and took as deep a breath as he could manage.

"Er- was that- alright?"

Anne smiled at him, her eyes twinkling, even as her blush deepened. "Of course." She rested her cheek against his shoulder then, and he put his arm around her.

"So we could see each other a little more often? As long as it doesn't interfere with your studies." Anne asked hesitantly.

Gilbert nudged her. "Or yours. I could just as easily get in the way of your work at this stage. I had the professor quote 'all work and no play' at me for quite some time, as well as several medical studies about the negative impact of stress on the body." He grinned at her wryly. "So now he's on my case too. I thought I could still spend Friday evenings with you, and I'll still stay home through the week to study and get to bed early enough. And we can either work together or relax on the weekends that we are free."

Anne smiled, thinking that it sounded blissful. "Alright. But I don't want you doing this just because I'm being a baby about not seeing you, or because you think you'll somehow lose me if you don't-"

"I'm _not_. We need to spend a bit more time together. And hopefully that will also put some of the Redmond gossip to bed." he said gently.

Anne straightened up, startled. "Gil, what do you mean? Did Phil say something to you?"

He looked at her shrewdly. "No. Roy did."

Anne's eyes flamed green for a brief second, as she prepared to give voice to her indignation. Gilbert squeezed her shoulder, and gave her a kiss that silenced her effectively.

"He spoke to me about it on Monday at Redmond. He was concerned that they had really upset you, and thought that I should know."

"Gil, I wasn't going to worry you with idle gossip." Anne said crossly. "He shouldn't have said anything. It isn't even worth repeating."

Gilbert nodded, his face open. "No, I don't suppose it is. But it's hurting you, and I do want to know about that." He chuckled suddenly then. "You have to admit, all this does look odd to the casual observer."

Anne looked confused. "What does?"

"Oh, the fact that the gentleman you were seeing and then broke it off with, is on civil terms not only with you, but now aqpparently your fiance. You have to admit, it's a bit strange."

Anne moaned with embarrassment, leaning over to put her head on Gilbert's knee while he laughed at her.

"This is exactly why it pays to be conventional." she said caustically, and then sighed. "Oh, Gil. All of this craziness just seems to follow me."

He stroked her cheek lightly, pulling the loose curls behind her ears. "Sweetheart, I don't need to remind you of our history, you know it well enough. But to the people who are lucky enough to call you a friend, you are someone that people don't ever want to be without. Sure, Roy could have charged off into the sunset like a wounded bull, but he wants to be your friend instead. And you know what my life was like without you." he added softly. "Anne, you make people's lives sweeter just by being in them. And you know only too well that not everyone can understand that, and sometimes they get jealous. But as the person who gets to be closer than anyone else to you, I'm telling you: it's a gift."

She turned her head to look up at him, with a little smile. He looked at her lovingly, and then stood, pulling her to her feet with a sigh.

"It's time to be heading home, I think- I don't trust those clouds building over the ocean. What do you say to an afternoon with our textbooks in the dining room, and an evening spent snuggling appropriately on the sofa?"

Anne laughed, throwing her arms around his waist. "It sounds delightful. Dearest, I think I need to get Professor Fredrickson a medal."

Gilbert dropped the last of the items in the basket, and gave her a confused look. "And why would he get that?"

She grinned at him cheekily. "Because I have it on your mother's authority that no one has ever been able to make Gilbert Blythe slow down. I may need to take notes for later on, don't you think?"

She darted away from him, and he shook his head with a huge grin. Alright, maybe he was a little hard to keep up with. But there was only one person in the world who he would forever be running to catch, and that was the beloved girl with him.


	11. Chapter 11, The Wedding Committee

**Chapter 11**

Sunday afternoon found the inhabitants of Patty's Place sitting in the lounge room, occupied with the guests who were only just removed from permanent status. Anne was reading through her mail next to Gilbert on one sofa, and Phil and Jo occupied another. Stella and Priscilla had taken possession of the room's squashy, little chairs.

Aunt Jimsie had been in her rooms off the lounge room, and now came out to view the group with twinkling eyes.

"Dear me, you are an energetic bunch, aren't you?"

Phil yawned, and gave a contented sigh. "You fed us all too well, Aunt Jimsie. And you know we usually are quite energetic."

Gilbert looked around the room with a little smile. He'd never imagined feeling so comfortable in this place, even before his first disastrous proposal. Always he had held the little house in such reverence, as a luxury he was afraid he could not afford- Anne more so than anything else. The girls were completely relaxed around he and Jo now, regarding them as the brothers they felt quite at home with. Gilbert grinned. It reminded him of his times in New Brunswick with his cousins, the noisy gatherings of his mother's side of the family. Patty's Place was to him a true home away from Avonlea for him, and he looked across at Anne, the reason he had access to this most intimate gathering.

She had taken her shoes off, and her feet were tucked under her skirts on the couch. Gilbert's mouth twitched. Only he knew that Anne's toes were burrowed under his leg on the chair, covered by the pretty floral skirts that she wore. She had a sweetly innocent look on her face as she read her letters, that didn't fool him for a second- she knew exactly what it was doing to him.

She had surprised him before dinner by bringing down a small box, and as they made themselves comfortable on the sofa she pulled out another bundle.

"Do you remember the letters I told you about? My parent's letters?" she asked. The others were moving an and out of the room, and she kept her voice down, wishing she had found somewhere more private to do this.

Gilbert's eyes rose. "Anne, of course."

She seemed to hesitate slightly. "I was wondering- would you- would you like to read them?" she asked. Anne couldn't explain to herself why this moment mattered- or why she feared his response. Had he ever faltered at anything she had told him? Had he ever hidden from anything about her?

A funny look crossed Gilbert's face, and he looked towards the table that was only beginning to be laid. He stood up, taking her hand in his, and pulled her out the side door, and into the fresh air.

Anne was confused when he pulled her over to a sun-warmed spot on the grass and put his coat down on the ground for them to sit on. When she was beside him, her hand still in his, he turned to her.

"Is there a reason you are worried?" he asked. "Do you not want me to read them?"

Anne's face flushed. "No, I do. I just didn't know if _you_ would want to."

Gilbert looked at her incredulously. "Anne, let's set aside my own curiosity over what is in them; I _love_ you. And because of that, if you want me to read this then it's my responsibility to do it. Why on earth would you think I wouldn't?"

Anne found herself unable to frame a reply. "I don't know." She looked into his sharp hazel eyes, and tried to explain something she hadn't consciously thought about. The idea to show them to Gilbert had come to her only that morning.

"Gil, do you know what you did soon after we became friends?" Anne said slowly.

He eyed her serious face. "I kept all references to the colour red out of my speech;" he said solemnly. Anne looked up at him indignantly, making him laugh. "I also made sure there were no slates nearby…. and I kept a white flag handy at all times." he teased.

" _Gilbert_!"

Anne folded her arms crossly, and he sobered, putting an apologetic arm around her. "I'm sorry, darling. I just wanted you to relax a little. These letters obviously mean a lot to you, and I guess I'm wondering if you're not ready for me to read them yet."

Anne sighed. "It's not that." She fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve for a moment, where it wrapped around her waist. "When you became friends with me, after the first night at the gate, we arranged to meet at your house to go for a walk to the shore." He nodded, unsure of where she was going with this. "And so I met you at the gate, and you asked me to come in and say hello to your parents first."

"And you were white as a sheet, I remember _that_ -"

Anne rolled her eyes. "Gil, I snubbed your parent's beloved son for five years. You can imagine I wasn't sure how they would respond to me."

"But they loved you."

She smiled then. "Your father used to tease me about getting lost in the woods all the time, and at all my livestock questions when Marilla and I were stumped by the cattle. Your mother would feed me and scold me if I got wet in the rain, and fussed over me if she thought I was tired, or if you were teasing me." Anne looked around her thoughtfully. "I don't have a family for you to meet- not relatives, anyway. I can't introduce you to my parents in person. This is the only way you can get to know them- for that matter, it was the only way for me to get to know them too."

Gilbert rested his chin on the top of her head. "So it matters a lot, then."

"I suppose it does. Does that seem silly?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. And of _course_ , I want to know- these are the people who made you, sweetheart. They must have been quite exceptional to do so."

Anne chuckled, and handed him the stack of letters. She sat by him expectantly as he read, watching his reactions. He smiled in some parts, and looked down at her lovingly when he came across her name.

"Your mother's letter sounds just like you- if it wasn't signed Bertha, I would think it was you writing. You must have got your talent from her." he commented. He grinned then, pulling out one written by Walter Shirley. "And I think your father must have been quite a high thinker, reading this- and very much in love with your mother." He picked up one written after Anne's birth, and smiled, re-reading the lines. "She describes you so beautifully, Anne-girl. I can almost see you as a baby- and she wrote that the postman's arrival made you cry! Oh, my poor darling girl."

Anne laughed, and snuggled against his chest. Gilbert kissed the top of her head then. "Anne, anything that concerns you is something I care about. I'm honoured to read them, to meet your parents in the only way I can. And I'm very sure they would have liked me." She could hear the smile in his voice. "After all, _Marilla_ adores me."

"She does indeed." Anne said with a chuckle. "Although I do think your parentage endeared you from the start!"

The two of them sat talking outside for a few more minutes, until Stella came to call them in for dinner. Now, after the meal, Gilbert looked across the little couch to Anne, who was reading her latest letters from home, something she had no time for recently.

"And how are the Wrights?" he asked her quietly.

Anne giggled. "Diana's letters are certainly informative. Comparative Anatomy has nothing on Di's correspondence- by the time _we_ are pregnant, there should be very few surprises for us." She went to continue, until Gilbert held up a hand to shush her, a beatific look on his face.

"No, no; just let me dwell on that for a time, sweetheart- you with our baby…." he said with a sigh. The loving glance she gave him took his breath away, and his smile was tender. What more would have been said on the subject was left for a future time, as Phil and Jo came to sit down across from them.

Some minutes later Stella and Priscilla joined them, and Phil was quick to catch Aunt Jimsie's attention when she came into the room.

"Good. Now everyone is here. Jo and I wanted to talk to you all about the wedding that is coming up very quickly."

As Aunt Jimsie came to sit on a chair, Gilbert reached for his fiancee's hand, his face impassive. Anne gave him a quick look, knowing the subject was a sensitive one for him. When he didn't respond, she wiggled her toes under him again, bringing a sly grin to his face. He gave her hand a squeeze and turned his attention to Phil.

"Mother has been having fun with wedding arrangements, and she has finally chosen a place for the reception- however, there are only two dates that the Bennington Hotel is available. The first is on the fourth of June, just seven days after we graduate; and the second date is in the middle of July, a little later than we wanted;" she said reluctantly.

Anne and Gilbert looked at each other in surprise- the fourth of June was the date they had chosen to travel home to Avonlea.

"Jo suggested that the earlier date may work better for the rest of you- rather than going home to the Island, only to turn around and do the trip again in just a few weeks. I favour a sooner wedding myself; my mother has been writing to me almost daily." She gave Jo a brittle smile, who only chuckled.

"I would have said yes to last week." he muttered good-naturedly, making Gilbert laugh.

Phil looked at him earnestly. "Jo dear, you've been a prince about Mother's demands so far, and I am completely grateful to you." She sighed. "Mother is a little maniacal about the wedding." she said drolly. "I asked if five days would give us enough time to get your dresses fitted before the wedding, and she said that she has several seamstresses on hand to help Madame Girard." She turned to the girls with a twinkle in her eyes. "Mother selected an azure blue dress for the bridesmaids, and she will be writing to get your measurements this week."

Stella laughed. "You've said 'mother selected' a few times now- just what did you select, Phil?"

Phil beamed smugly. "I selected _Jo_. I'm sorry, my dears, this is the Byrne side of the family- it's not just about the nose. The Byrnes all love an extravagant party, and Mother is determined to out-do my second cousin Mary's wedding."

She turned to Jo then, giving him a little nudge. Jo jumped and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"I didn't think I would be doing this with an audience, Phil," he said with quiet humour. When she only laughed at his discomfort, he turned to Gilbert with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Gil, I wanted to ask- that is, I thought- I wondered if you would like to be my best man."

Phil was nearly bursting with glee, and Gilbert was speechless for several moments. He looked at Anne, who was beaming up at him. "I- well, I'm honoured, Jo. I accept- and thank you."

Gilbert almost felt Anne's proud smile, as she squeezed his hand in hers tightly.

"The other two groomsmen won't be back in the country for a month yet, and in all honestly they haven't been here like you have." Jo said, grinning at Gilbert. "We've spent a lot of time here together this past year, and I can't think of anyone better for the job. And since you are engaged to the maid of honour, as partners you would actually get to spend some time with her on the day as well. We thought that would work nicely. And you don't even need to worry about a suit, since Mrs Gordon has also selected those." he said, heroically trying to hold back a grimace.

Phil rolled her eyes. "Since the other groomsmen are both missionaries, and unlikely to come across a Gordon-approved tailor in either Borneo or Asia, Mother decided that she would have all the suits made for the groomsmen in Bolingbroke; so I'll leave you to guess who will be writing to you this week for measurements."

Gilbert looked a little uncomfortable at that, and caught Jo's eye, who grinned understandingly.

"Mr Gordon has made it very clear that he will be paying for all of the bridal party's expenses;" he said quietly. "I have already had that argument with him, and in a discussion that ended with me being shown many, many portraits of Phil as a little girl, and him needing several handkerchiefs, I felt it best to accept on behalf of all of us."

Gilbert nodded, and looked down at Anne with a big grin. He had known he was being invited to the wedding, but had no idea that this would occur. And a day spent by her side would be perfect.

Priscilla's voice was carefully neutral. "So- Jo, the groomsman coming from Asia."

Jo flicked a glance at a smug looking Phil. "Yes, he will arrive at the end of May, in time for your graduation, I believe." he said carefully.

"Oh." Priss said slowly. A bright pink burned on her cheeks, as she tried to think of how to word her next question.

Phil jumped in then, to take pity on her. "It's Patrick, Priss. He will be accompanying you that day."

Priscilla couldn't quite contain her smile, and she merely nodded.

Aunt Jimsie smiled at her niece. "And that means the gentleman from Borneo must be accompanying you."

Stella nodded. "That was Aaron, wasn't it? He had some interesting stories to tell. Borneo has a fascinating culture." she commented.

Phil turned to look at Aunt Jimsie beseechingly. "Aunt Jimsie, you will be coming to the wedding, won't you?"

"Of course, dear. I'm looking forward to it, I haven't been to Bolingbroke in years." She turned back to Stella then, her eyes sharp.

"Now, I am going down to the station tomorrow to purchase the tickets for Charlottetown, for Josephine's wedding. We will be leaving on Thursday morning, and there will be no complaining from you, young lady." She turned to Priscilla then. "Now, do you need me to buy yours as well?"

Priscilla shook her head, having bought hers the previous week.

Gilbert turned to Anne curiously, but waited until the others had all drifted away from the room to question her.

"Anne, aren't you going home over Easter? I thought you would go back with the others."

She looked at him in surprise. "No, Gil. You aren't going, and so neither am I. And that way someone is here to take care of Rusty, Joseph and the Sarah-cat." she said logically.

"But I'm only staying because I have classes on Saturday," he argued. "You have nearly a week off, and you've said how much you miss home. You know how much they all want to see you."

Anne untucked herself from the lounge chair, standing up to stretch. Gilbert's eyes were drawn to her stockinged feet, and he watched her daintily poke her feet into the little slippers that sat by the lounge. She leaned down to take both of his hands then, giving them a gentle tug.

"Come for a walk, dearest. Some fresh air will do us good."

On their way to the bench they had sat on so often before, Gilbert looked at her, still puzzled. "Anne, I thought you had decided to go home."

Anne shook her head. "No, I would have only if you were going back."

"Sweetheart, you know I would love to have you here, but you said that Marilla is missing you greatly- not to mention the fact that Diana and Fred could already be parents before we make it back to Avonlea. And don't you think you need the rest?" He said, his tone becoming reproving, causing Anne to turn to him, her eyebrows raised.

"Mr Blythe, if you are about to lecture me on resting, I strongly advise that you reconsider. May I remind you what the pot called the kettle?" she said crisply.

Gilbert rolled his eyes at that. "No, you needn't. It's just that- well, you know I'll be busy most of the time; if you went home you would have better company."

Anne's chin jutted out, and Gilbert started to laugh. "Alright, alright; I surrender. I just don't want you here wishing you had gone back to Avonlea."

Anne sighed, and sat down on the bench, looking over the ocean in the afternoon sunshine. The gulls circled a little way out to sea, and the light sparkled on the approaching tide.

"Honestly, I'm tired, Gil. I don't feel up to the two days of travelling, and then being rushed from place to place when back at home- I think I may sleep much of the weekend away here." she stated, and then turned to Gilbert cautiously. "Please don't tell Marilla or Di that, though. And I know you will be working, I'll happily take whatever time you have to give, and I will be most content." She looked up at him with a little smile. "You know you're glad I'm staying, Gil, admit it."

He chuckled. "Alright, I am. And you know I'll be over here as much as I can."

The two of them sat in silence for a little while.

"How is Timothy doing?" Anne asked.

Gilbert shrugged his shoulders. "Quite well, as far as I can see. We're working our way through the subjects, he's having a few problems with his Latin, but is otherwise doing fine." He smiled then. "He's got a sense of humour too- it's guarded, but it's there." He paused for a moment, and then surprised her with- "I told him about you."

Anne looked up at him. "Oh?"

Gilbert stroked his fingers on her waist. "He's a good kid. He worries about the burden he puts on the family- and he told me that he worried about doing all of this on his own later on. I think a few of the other fellows at school have made comments about his lack of parents. I told him that you knew what that was like."

Anne's throat closed over. "I do know." she said quietly. "But he will find friends who will love him as he is, and he will someday show everyone what he can do."

Gilbert grinned proudly. "I told him you would say that. And I told him how proud I was of _you_."

Anne leaned against his broad shoulder, and breathed in the clean scent of his shirt. She traced her fingers along his waistcoat, enjoying this moment of tranquility between them, leading up to the last months of college.

"Do you know what I love the idea of?" Gilbert said suddenly.

She looked up at him enquiringly. "What, Gil?"

There was a look of the deepest contentment on his face. "You and I are going to a wedding together again."

Anne began to laugh, a sound that carried the tiniest hint of sadness in it. "This one will be much better for us, I believe."

Gilbert smiled. "Because we are together now. And this time I will be able to kiss you…" he trailed, pressing a soft kiss to her satiny cheek. "And I can put my arm around you, and whisper in your ear…" Anne smiled then, reaching up to bring eager lips to his.

"And I can introduce you as my fiance." she added softly. "And I can slip my hand in yours, and show you a nice little alcove I found in in Phil's home at the rehearsal dinner, one that I imagine would be wonderful to snuggle in." she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him teasingly.

He laughed at that. "You know, it will nearly be one year since the schoolhouse when we return to Avonlea next. Did you want to go back for our anniversary of that night?"

Anne scrunched her nose up, and shook her head. "I think that place has served us well in the past. However, I am dreaming of losing myself in the woods with you- and there is a certain garden that I have imagined you and I kissing in many times."

His smile was huge at that. "I will take up that challenge, Miss Shirley. And Anne-girl, I have been imagining doing that for _years_. You have no idea how hard I fought to not do it at the time." He paused

He paused then, and looked down at her seriously. "Are you quite sure you don't want to go home next weekend? You could be seeing the garden in just a week."

Anne shook her head with a contented sigh. "When I next go there it will be with you by my side, Gilbert. And I am looking forward to that day."

Gilbert pulled her to her feet then, his hands cupping her face as he kissed her tenderly. He walked her home, both of them content to dwell on the days yet to come. Celebrations with friends, the end of a long and challenging four years- and the knowledge that their dreams were just around the bend in the road.


	12. Chapter 12, Seize The Day

**Chapter 12**

Bright and early on Thursday morning, Anne stood at the door of Patty's place surrounded by trunks. She gingerly stepped over Stella's suitcase on the steps to look along Spofford Avenue, as she had been directed. Aunt Jimsie had woken the household before dawn, to ensure that preparations would be complete by the time the coaches arrived, and the girls peered at each other over mugs of hot tea, trying to wake themselves up after a late night in front of their books.

The street was empty, and with a little sigh she turned back towards the house. On an impulse, Anne stopped to look in through the open doors, with a huge smile. Through it she could see people scurrying backwards and forwards; catching sight of Stella's crimson travelling suit, and tiny Aunt Jimsie carrying a travel rug over one arm. Phil could be seen in the distance bringing her suitcase down the old staircase one thump at a time, and Priscilla was adjusting her hat in the gilt-framed mirror beside the front door. As she stood watching them Rusty stepped cautiously out of the doorway, and came purring around Anne's ankles. She bent down to scratch his ears, smiling at the way he lifted his chin for her to rub also.

"It's just you and I, and the other cats for a few days, old fellow." Anne said thoughtfully. "I wonder, what shall we do? Will we be sensible and go to bed early, do you think, Rusty?" She stood up then, scooping the cat onto her shoulder. "Most likely we will stay up far too late. The Sarah Cat likes to prowl around at night, so at least we will have some company." she confided. Anne stood looking up at the house then with a little smile. "And Gilbert will come for supper tomorrow night. Won't that be nice? Will you be nicer to him if no one else is around?"

Rusty blinked his amber eyes at Anne, and then languidly poured himself down from her arms. He landed lightly on the path and headed out towards the orchard, and Anne chuckled. As a matter of fact, Rusty merely tolerated Gilbert- Joseph and the Sarah-cat adored him, however Rusty would not share Anne willingly. In vain Anne tried to make him accept Gilbert's presence, knowing she was fighting a losing battle with her territorial pet.

Anne turned, hearing a carriage come up the street at last. The driver slowed the horses to a stop outside the house, and Anne quickly waved, letting him know that he had the right house.

Ten minutes later, the coachman was helping Stella to bring the last of bags out. Aunt Jimsie stood beside Anne, watching the scene with amusement.

"You will get to see what my summer is like, dear." she commented to Anne, with a smile. "It is quite a big house for one person; however Stella and I should be back by Tuesday evening. Are you sure you will be fine here on your own?"

Anne gave her a hug. "Of course, Aunt Jimsie. Mrs Walton-Smith has said she will check in on me from time to time, and she asked me to come over for tea with her on Monday morning."

"Very well. Don't forget to lock all the doors at night, and to put milk out for the cats." she reminded her, and then paused with an odd little smile. "And it might be best if Mr Blythe didn't stay too late in the evenings."

Anne's cheeks flushed, however she nodded calmly. "Yes, Aunt Jimsie. Thank you."

She smiled at the girl fondly. "Enjoy the quiet, dear. Get some rest. You've looked a little peaky, this term."

Priscilla and Stella came to give Anne a big hug, and both Anne and Priss laughed at Stella's obviously reluctant face.

"Cheer up, dear, I'm coming with you as far as Charlottetown," Priscilla said cheerfully. "And maybe Josephine will be so overcome with pre-wedding jitters that she won't remember to tell you that 'academic women have a life filled with 'leisure', as most of them never manage to catch a man anyway'." She made a face, having heard those words from family members too often herself.

Stella's black eyes smouldered. "If she says anything like that to me I will make her eat the wedding cake the way I did when we were children. Even if she _is_ the bride."

Anne began to laugh at the idea of the dignified Stella doing so, and gave her a hearty kiss on the cheek. "Never mind, Stella, we are all supposedly 'leisurely' academics; and I dare say no one has a happier life than we four may lay a claim to here. Go and stun them all with your brilliance."

Stella chuckled, and put her hat on. Priscilla turned to Anne then, her blue eyes twinkling.

"The whole house to yourself, hmm?" she teased. "And let me think, will you be having any special guests over, Anne?"

"Really, is that all anyone can think of?" Anne said exasperatedly. "Gilbert has classes, and tutoring, and some extra work for the paper that he has been doing. I expect I will see him when he can." She fixed her friend with a candid look. "It will just be a normal weekend for us."

Priss gave a curious smile. "No, I really don't think it is. But have fun anyway, and do try and remember all of the juicy details to tell us, there's a dear." She winked at Anne and then handed her hatbox to the young driver with a dazzling smile. Anne and Phil stood on the doorstep to wave them off, and as the coach moved out of sight, they walked back inside with much relief. Carelessly they flopped into the lounges, and Anne swung her legs over the arm of the chair with a sigh of satisfaction.

"You look as if you could go back to bed," Anne said to Phil, as she stifled a yawn.

"If I had time, I would," she replied drolly. "Dad said he would be here early since Mother has decided that we need to do some wedding shopping this afternoon."

Anne laughed. "Goodness! So I suppose in June we will get to see what a society wedding is really all about, then."

"If Mother has her way, yes." She yawned herself, then. "Anyway, Jo is leading services tomorrow, and he will come up to Mount Holly when he is done; hopefully we will be able to relax a little then. So when will you see Gil?" Phil asked, and raised her eyebrows at the cross look on Anne's face.

"Not you as well, Phil?" she said, her tone brusque. "I thought at least you would understand."

"I'm sorry, sweetie, catch me up. What are you so indignant about?" Phil asked easily.

Anne frowned. "Oh, about all of the comments about me staying here alone, and Gilbert visiting. Honestly, do people think so little of us?"

Phil was quite tired herself and only smiled.

"They don't, really. People just like to tease, and you know how seriously Aunt Jimsie takes her chaperoning duties."

Anne's head lay against the back of the chair, and she watched the sunlight glinting off Gog and Magog. "But they _know_ us. Gilbert and I have been spending time on our own for years, and we have often been here by ourselves. I don't see what the difference is right now."

Phil watched her closely. "You have thought about it, though?" Anne's cheeks burned, and she kept her eyes carefully down. Phil nodded, with a little smile. "So even _you_ know it's different."

Anne pulled her red hair over one shoulder and began playing with the end of the long braid. "Yes, but it doesn't mean it has to be," she said slowly. "And the comments make me uncomfortable enough. Gil would be horrified if he knew people had been warning me about this."

Phil kept her own opinion about that. She looked at her beloved friend with a little sigh. Phil herself had grown much in the years since they had met in the park, and she looked at Anne now curiously. In the beginning, she had loved Anne's dignity and humour, seeing a compassion and maturity that she felt she herself had lacked. In this last year together at Redmond, she had learned far more about her friend- had seen the insecurities that still plagued her, the little raw spots where Anne could still take herself too seriously. She smiled then. She had also seen the fiercely independent girl she had known fall wonderfully and completely in love- as well as the little glimpses of vulnerability and inexperience that came with that. Anne had been the first person she had told about Jonas- and she would do what she could to ease her friend's mind now.

"Sweetie, do you worry about any of this when Gilbert is here?"

Anne's head lifted, and she shook her head.

"Then why worry about it now? The two of you know how to comport yourselves. I suppose Priss and Stella don't understand, and that's alright, they can't. They aren't in this situation right now. Aunt Jimsie is coming from an older perspective, and she is very protective of us all. You know how she scolds me about poor Jo." Anne chuckled at Phil's grin and watched her shake out her brown curls. "You'll figure it out together. And remember, you can always come to Auntie Phil for advice." she said patronisingly, and then yelped at the cushion that Anne had thrown at her head.

"You know honey, Gilbert is right. You really do have a dreadful temper, Miss Shirley." she teased. Her eyes brightened then at the sudden knock at the door, and she flew out of her chair to meet Andrew Gordon.

Mr Gordon came in to greet Anne, who loved the fatherly way he met her. His relationship with Phil was close, and Anne laughed at being included in his hug like a sister.

"So we'll be having you up to Mount Holly in a few months time for the wedding, my dear?" he said to Anne, with a very Phil-like twinkle in his eyes. "And I believe your young man will be accompanying you as well, this time?"

Anne nodded, blushing. "Yes, he is."

Andrew looked at her appraisingly. "Are you sure you don't want to come home with Phil for the weekend, Anne? Maureen would love to see you again."

She looked up at him with another smile. "Thank you, Mr Gordon, however, I will say no this time. I am very much looking forward to staying with you all in June."

Mr Gordon smiled, and patted her on the shoulder gently, before going to fetch Phil's bags. Phil chuckled, as she moved with her father.

"Daddy, you know Mother would have her in fittings all weekend if she came- otherwise I would be begging you myself to join me, honey." she said to Anne with a grin.

Anne gave her a big hug. "I'll have a wonderful time here, and I certainly wouldn't wish to leave Gilbert in Kingsport by himself. I hope you have a wonderful time, Phil."

A few minutes later, and Phil had gone, leaving Anne with an empty house, and the delightful restlessness that she felt every spring. With a light step, she filled a satchel and found her largest hat. She locked the door to Patty's Place behind her and set off into the park, eager to pursue adventures unknown.

* * *

At three o clock that afternoon, Gilbert was only just leaving the lecture hall. Most of the other students had classes off, and Redmond was much quieter than normal. His mind was busily working on the last lecture, a complex series of calculations and equations. He walked home in the afternoon sunshine, hardly noticing his surroundings in his distraction. He was all the more startled when his arm was tapped. He turned to see Moody and Charlie, only just returning home themselves.

"What on earth were you thinking about, Blythe? We've been calling you for about a block now." Charlie said, in an imitation of sprightliness.

Gilbert took a second look at Charlie, who appeared to be almost bouncing on his heels. His glance then swung to Moody. "What's up with him?" he asked in a stage whisper.

Moody rolled his eyes. "He just came from seeing Dear Nicole."

"I won't have you call her that anymore, MacPherson." Charlie said, injured. "People might think you were interested in her."

Gilbert suppressed a laugh, knowing just who had given the pleasant young woman her nickname. "Moody has no designs on Nicole, Charles. It's an endearment."

"Well he can just endear someone else. Miss Nicole Swanson will soon be mine." Charlie said, his posture triumphant.

Gilbert looked at Moody with surprise, and turned back to Charlie. "Well, congratulations! What news do you have to tell? An engagement?" Gilbert asked.

He was somewhat taken aback then, by Charlie's snort of derision.

"Certainly not! I hardly think that will be necessary anytime soon." he said in a lordly tone. "No; what you want in a relationship is a steady, slow pace that keeps the little woman calm and rational. After all, a man hardly needs an overexcited girl on his hands."

Gilbert choked at that comment, imagining Anne's reaction to this startling piece of wisdom from their old schoolmate.

"So what do you have to tell us then? I assume something happened." Moody said, puzzled.

The smug Sloane look was on his face, and he surveyed Gilbert and Charlie. "My mother has agreed to write to Nicole personally." He looked at them proudly, and eventually the two men realised that this was the news Charlie had been bursting to tell.

Gilbert rubbed his face with one hand, trying heroically to suppress his laugh. "Well- old man, congratulations. I'm- I'm sure she will enjoy the letter."

Moody was less tolerant. "I thought at least you'd kissed her or something," he said morosely, as the three of them resumed the walk up the street to the boarding house.

Charlie looked scandalised at Moody's suggestion. "I'm surprised at you, _Reverend_ ," he said in a caustic tone. "You should know that the Bible is quite clear about the danger that kissing poses."

At this Moody hooted. "It doesn't say a thing like that, Charlie."

"I'm paraphrasing."

"Have you ever _read_ Song of Songs?" the young theologian asked him belligerently.

Charlie's body stiffened. "I'm not sure that is a book that unmarried men should be discussing, Mr MacPherson." he hissed, beginning to walk faster.

Gilbert called out to him then, jogging to catch up with him. "Come on Charles, I'm sure Moody has no intention of discussing Song of Songs with you or anyone else right now. We're very- happy for you." Charlie appeared to be slightly mollified and slowed his pace. Gilbert frowned and looked at their old chum thoughtfully.

"Charlie, I'm all for the slow pace-" _Although definitely not for me,_ Gilbert thought with an unseen grin… "-but you do have a plan, don't you?"

"Well, of course I do." Charlie snapped, and then stopped, suspicious. "A plan for what?"

Gilbert shrugged. "For Nicole. You go back to the Island in June, right?"

"Correct."

"And Nicole goes home to New Brunswick?" he asked.

"Also correct."

"And you need to start work at your father's office as soon as you return?"

Charlie grumbled. "Yet again with the obvious, Blythe. Why the questions?"

Gilbert slapped Charlie on the back. "Come on, Charles. Don't you think you might be running out of time?" he asked him patiently. "A slow pace is all very well, but real life is less than two months away- and you won't be able to be so cautious when she lives hundreds of miles away, instead of in the same city. She may not know what you're thinking. You probably need to say something soon- and at the very least ask if you can court her."

Charlie's face had turned pale. They had reached the door of the boarding house, and Gilbert let Moody pass on ahead of him. "Look, I'm not saying to do anything rash- but do _something_ , at least. Nicole is probably waiting for you to give her some indication of your intentions."

Charlie gave a strangled sound, and Gilbert grinned. He left his friend gurgling on the doorstep and went inside to change his clothes. He wasn't expected at Patty's Place that night, but something of Charlie's predicament gave him a little nudge. They really didn't have much longer. He packed his study books into a bag, and ran downstairs to tell Mrs Saunders that he wouldn't be in for dinner. He had a far more pressing engagement.

* * *

At four o clock Anne heard a sudden knock at the door. She was almost as surprised by Gilbert's arrival, as he was by her disheveled appearance. Anne beamed, drawing him inside, before throwing her arms around him in glad welcome.

"I didn't think I would see you tonight!" she exclaimed. "Don't you have studying to do?"

His arms were around her tightly, and he shook his head on top of hers. "I have it with me for later, but I just wanted to see you tonight. Do you mind the intrusion?"

Anne laughed. "Not at all. I was just trying to think of a good way to keep myself amused tonight. I've rarely been here completely alone before, there's always been someone around. And I'm heart-glad to see you, dearest." She pulled herself up to kiss him, and he gave her a huge smile.

"And just what have you been doing to yourself? You look like you've been pulled through a hedge backwards." Gilbert queried.

Anne shrugged. "I just went for a little walk." When Gilbert's look turned skeptical, she led him into the kitchen where she had been cleaning herself up. "When the girls left this morning, I decided to leave the house and go on an adventure. I walked through the park to our little hollow, I played on the shore with some children who were building sand castles, I picked mayflowers and sat and dreamed under the pines on the harbor road, and then I followed the creek that winds through St John's. I was out for most of the day, actually." she said brightly. Gilbert gave her an amused look as he pulled some twigs from her hair.

"Explaining the hint of sunburn on your nose-"

"I suppose so. It was so lovely, Gil. The spring flowers are everywhere, and most of the trees are green and full again." Anne looked at her hands with a slight frown. "I did have a small accident about an hour ago, I tripped on a branch and landed rather hard against another- I've yet to see the damage underneath the mud."

Gilbert gave her an indulgent look, and pulled her over to the basin of water she had pumped. He took the cloth that was in the water, and began to sponge her hands and forearms, while she talked about the places she had seen that day. The scratches were mostly superficial, however a rather jagged cut on her wrist made him pause for a moment.

"Did I tell you my mother was a nurse?" he asked lightly, as he cleaned the wound.

"That's right, she-" at that point Anne sucked in a breath quickly, as the cloth crossed the grazed area. "She was your uncle's nurse, wasn't she?"

Gilbert nodded. "And she got to use most of her knowledge in raising me." he said drolly. "She used to bandage up the boys whenever they hurt themselves at our place. She had to deal with Charlie breaking his arm when we were six. Mrs Sloane was not amused." Gilbert chuckled then, remembering. "He said he wanted to fly. Needless to say he couldn't quite manage it, and fell with a thud. Now, do you have a bandage I could use?"

Anne crossed to the drawer, shaking her stinging wrist as she went. Gilbert's fingers were gentle, and he began to wrap the cotton around her wrist carefully.

"You know, I always assumed your father's illness made you want to be a doctor." she mused, watching him work. "Perhaps it has more to do with your mother's influence."

Gilbert smiled easily. "There are probably many reasons. They all had a bearing, I suppose. Now, is there anything else injured that I should be checking?" He held out her hands before him, checking them over.

Anne's cheeks were slightly pink, butshe shook her head. "Thank you, but that is the only one you should check, I feel." She chuckled at the interested look on Gilbert's face. "It's alright, Gil. My knees are black and blue, however there are no cuts- and my stockings even survived." she teased.

Gilbert grinned impishly. "Well, I'd like to be scientific and insist on seeing the proof for myself- but I'll have to take your word for it."

He drew her close to him then, and leaned against the kitchen bench. "Would you like to go out for dinner tonight, sweetheart? There's a nice little place on the main street that we could try."

Anne put her head on one side and studied him thoughtfully.

"Actually, I'm a little tired to go out tonight, Gil. Could we go on Saturday night perhaps? I can just prepare something simple for us here." she suggested.

"That sounds even better." He smiled as she leant against his chest with a contented sigh. "You know, Anne-girl; I think I'm going to like four uninterrupted days with you. It's like a taste of things to come."

* * *

That evening the two of them made themselves comfortable on the lounges, Anne with some writing she was working on, and Gilbert with his head buried in the mathematics textbook. After over an hour without speaking, Gilbert threw down the book to look at the girl beside him.

"Remind me why we said we shouldn't do this through the week?" he said suddenly. "This is nice."

Anne looked up at him in surprise. "You know why, Gil. You needed to be able to focus. And it's alright."

"I'm focusing now, and you're still here." he argued.

Anne put down her pen, stopping to examine the little ink blots on her fingers. "Yes, however you know this house is usually filled with people. And you still have a long walk home."

He chuckled. "It's not that long, I can do it in fifteen minutes."

Anne looked at him shrewdly. "Gil, I would love you to be here with me every night, you know that."

"Yes, I rather gathered that from the way you greet me when I arrive." he teased, loving the blush on her cheeks.

She shook her head at him. "However you do need to be taking good care-"

Gilbert interrupted her then with a hard kiss on the lips. "What did I say last time? You don't need to worry." he said firmly. "I'm fine."

Anne rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know you've heard it before, however you _did_ ask why we don't do this all the time. This weekend is a little different."

Gilbert put his arm around her then, his face thoughtful. "To be honest, that's why I came tonight. We've only got a few more months of this college journey, and who knows where we'll be come September. And I'll readily admit that it's nice to get some time alone with you. I hope you don't mind, but I want to spend the next few days here whenever I'm not asleep, and go to church with you for the services." he said, his voice light. He looked down, and laughed at the way she snuggled into his side contentedly, turning to breathe in the smell of his shirt. Anne gave a tremendous sigh that made him smile.

"I'm holding you to that, Mr Blythe."


	13. Chapter 13, Good Friday

**Chapter 13**

The sun was only just over the horizon in Kingsport, when Gilbert came down the steps of his boarding house swiftly. The morning breeze blew some freshness into the already warm streets as he walked past the rows of boarding houses just like his own; here and there he saw maids popping their heads out of the doors to check for milk or newspapers, and a few carriages moving slowly down the road.

Gilbert's firm stride saw the distance pass quickly, and he sped up towards the edge of the town centre, before crossing the old paved bridge. The waters lapped against the rocks underneath, shimmering in the early light, and he breathed in the smell of the ocean in contentment. Although not as fresh as the shore at home, the salt tang still called to him, reminding him of the island he would return to soon.

Over the bridge was the street that led to St Johns, and beyond that lay the park that Patty's Place bordered on. Within minutes he was at Anne's door, a broad grin firmly in place. He knocked on the door, guiltily hoping her neighbours were not observing just how early he was calling on his fiancee. It was some time before the door opened though, and he was puzzled, knowing how early Anne usually rose. Just at the point he began to get slightly concerned, he heard her voice.

"Hello?"

"Anne, it's me." he said, bewildered. She _had_ known he was coming.

When she opened the door to greet him, Gilbert lost any words he might have spoken. She was dressed, however her hair was still in its nighttime braid, and she had no shoes or stockings on her feet. She attempted to smile, and her movements were slow; unless he missed his guess, she was in some kind of pain. As Anne reached up in welcome to kiss him, he studied her carefully.

"I would say good morning, Anne, but you don't seem to be convinced."

Anne walked across to the sofa with a little groan that Gilbert couldn't help smiling at. "I'm fine, Gil."

"Sweetheart, is there a reason then that you sound as if you had the mother of all hangovers?"

Anne's eyes scorched him briefly, as he sat beside her. "Gilbert Blythe, I most certainly do not!" she said crossly, making him chuckle. For a moment she sounded just like the scornful girl who had turned her back on him on the day they met, and he couldn't resist winking at her cheekily.

"Alright, so what's happened?" he asked compassionately.

Anne's shoulders dropped, slightly embarrassed.

"You remember that I went for a walk yesterday?"

Gilbert frowned. "Yes? And you're sore from walking?"

"Nooo- I'm sore from _falling_." she corrected him. "I believe I told you my knees were just a shade bruised. That appears to be an understatement."

"Oh dear." he said dryly.

"' _Oh dear_ ' is correct. I hurt in places I didn't know existed." she commented humorlessly. "I don't know why it's so much worse today."

Gilbert put his arm around her. "I don't know, but it happens. Something about muscles seizing up overnight, I think."

Anne shifted on the lounge, leaning against his shoulder. "More of your mother's wisdom?" she asked lightly.

Gilbert laughed. "No, football training. I took a big fellow's boot to one of my knees last spring." He looked at her, hesitating slightly.

"Are you going to be alright for dinner and the service tonight? I don't want to make you feel worse."

Anne gave him a considering look. "Of course. I have no doubt I will loosen up as the day goes on."

He watched her experimentally flex her knee, and he sighed watching her flinch. "Sweetheart, I know how this is going to sound, but do you think I should at least check it? You might have fractured something."

She looked at him with one eyebrow quirked, and Gilbert held his hands up in defence, laughing.

"Look, I can take you to the hospital to have you checked by someone qualified who is _not_ your intended; however there goes a significant portion of the day if we do. And I do think someone should look at it." Gilbert said truthfully.

Anne sighed, a little smile on her face. "Since I could barely walk when I first woke up this morning, I agree with you. I think it's only bruised, though."

She went to move her skirts until she saw him studiously look away with flushed cheeks and a sheepish grin. Anne covered her face with a little moan at his involuntary reaction, and Gilbert shook himself, becoming businesslike in an instant. "Oh, come on, we can deal with this. And you startled me often enough when we were teaching; whenever we would go near any water back then, I'd suddenly look over and you were barefoot with your skirts held up. I didn't know whether to run for cover or to pretend I hadn't seen anything." he said with a chuckle. "I usually went for the latter."

Anne laughed too. "I honestly had no idea that you would see me like that back then. I got the impression you didn't really notice."

Gilbert snorted at that. "Mission accomplished then. I didn't want you to know what it did to me. Of course, we're _engaged_ now, so I guess you have some idea."

Her smile was adorably smug, and he kissed the top of her head quickly, before getting on one knee in front of the lounge. Ignoring his own heated face and the shy look on hers that melted his heart, he waited for her to pull her skirts up. His first reaction on seeing her knees though was a low whistle, and he looked at her in consternation.

"Sweetheart, you made a rather good job of it," he said regretfully. He hesitated slightly as he put her foot on his knee, and gently probed the bone and surrounding tissue. She winced in pain suddenly as his fingers touched a raw spot, and he gave her a look of apology as he changed to the other knee.

"You are _not_ allowed to look as if you are enjoying this," Anne grumbled, pushing her hair away from her decidedly pink cheeks. He saw the twinkle in her eye and relaxed a little.

"Trust me, Anne; I don't want to see that look on your face when I finally get to do this for real," he muttered, making her laugh. "As far as I can see, the bones appear to be intact; although I'm really only guessing here-" he admitted.

" _Now_ you tell me-"

"But I _have_ fractured a knee cap before. I think we just have to wait and see. I can make up a cold compress, and we can see how you are later on." He pulled his hands away promptly and turned around, giving her time to move her skirts back into place. "I have to say, your bruises are spectacular. I never did better as a kid," he said wryly.

"Well, luckily it's only me who will see them, then," Anne said philosophically, thinking about how natural it felt to be at home with him. She stood up slowly with his help.

"Did you take time for breakfast?" she asked.

Gilbert shook his head, smiling sheepishly. "No. I was in too much of a hurry to get here."

Anne put her arms around his waist and sighed, as she rested her head on his chest. "I'm glad you came so early. Give me a few minutes to finish getting ready for the day, and I'll put some breakfast on for the two of us."

Gilbert's look was amused, and he gave her a gentle push towards the stairs. "Or you take your time, and _I'll_ put breakfast on."

Anne climbed the stairs and walked to her blue room. Her thoughts were scattered, and she was having a hard time focusing on the job at hand. She pinned her hair up carefully, wanting to make up for the haphazard look that Gilbert had arrived to. She sat down on her bed with another groan, working hard to pull up her stockings without causing more injury. Her face heated then thinking of his gentle fingers touching her, and she confusedly shook her skirts down, thankful for once for the feeling of many layers of clothing to bring back some normality, and dull the butterflies inside that seemed to become more frenzied as time went on.

When she returned to the kitchen some minutes later, Gilbert had laid the table, and she stood in the doorway watching him with a slight feeling of unreality. She was beginning to sense a certain blurring of the lines between Gilbert and herself and their future; and as she met his frank, hazel eyes, her cheeks flushed again. It was a future she seemed to anticipate more and more each day.

* * *

The two of them spent the day quietly, reading and studying together. Exams were less than three weeks away now, and Anne, helping Gilbert was at times dumbfounded by the information he was able to store in his brain.

"Gil, that was nearly the whole page!" she said, bewildered. "How on earth do you remember it, nearly word for word?"

He shrugged, his tone casual. "I just read it." He grinned then. "I read it over breakfast. I read it in my lunch breaks. I read it at dinner, which angers Charlie to no end- he says it's uncivilised to have books at the table. Of course, that only makes me do it more."

Anne laughed, beginning to pack up their books from the dining room table. "Well, you won't be reading at the table tonight; I rather feel Mrs Saunders will not approve while you have guests."

Gilbert grinned, feeling a wave of affection for the Saunders. Of the seven boys that called the boarding house home, Gilbert, Moody and Charlie were the only ones staying for the Easter weekend. They had asked Gilbert if Anne would like to join them for dinner on Good Friday, after hearing she also was staying in Kingsport alone. Mrs Saunders had asked the other gentlemen if they wished to invite someone, and so they would be sharing their meal with a young man from Moody's class whose family was out of town, and with Charlie's own dear Nicole herself.

Anne was looking forward to the evening. Of necessity, much of their time had been spent at Patty's Place lately, and social outings together had been kept to a minimum- to go out together was a welcome change. Gilbert had stretched out on the sofa for a short nap while Anne excused herself to get ready for the evening. As she did so, a little bubble of happiness welled up inside her, thinking of their plans over the next few months. Graduating, Convocation- and a beautifully long summer.

The discussion about the Cooper Prize had been put on hold, something that Anne had noticed soon after their argument. This didn't bother her, knowing that it hadn't been at the centre of the issue. Insecurities lay at the bottom of that tangle, and the two of them were working to communicate them better. It was easier for her, she had discovered. Words came quicker, and she had long made a habit of sharing her inner thoughts with others. Gilbert's words were thoughtful and well considered, however, in the last year Anne had realised how many thoughts he had kept inside; of necessity to not expose himself. She gave a wry chuckle. Had she taught him to be so guarded, or was it simply the independence that Gilbert's family so valued?

Gilbert had indeed begun to slow down, although she could see that he was as determined as ever to win the scholarship. As she tied the sash of her pale green dress, she smiled slightly. She had known that he would not be easy to distract, not that she had wished to do so. A focused and determined Gilbert was a beautiful thing!

When she was ready, she came down the staircase carefully, her knees still protesting mildly at every step. This was soon forgotten though when she looked over the back of the sofa to a completely asleep Gilbert. She stayed there watching him with a tender smile, unable to stop herself from considering what it would be like to wake up next to him every day. One arm was flung over his head, his loosened tie and collar slightly askew, and his mouth ever so slightly open, breathing peacefully. A peace that was promptly shattered when Gilbert opened his eyes, finding himself being closely watched by his fiancee, he gave a sudden start, tipping himself off the sofa violently.

Anne became helpless with laughter at this point, and she rounded the chair unsteadily to help him up. His eyes narrowed then, and as she was laughing too much to be of much assistance, he quickly pulled her down next to him, catching her before she fell to the ground. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to speak.

"I'm sorry darling, you were just so peaceful, and then you leapt so high!"

Gilbert growled at her and grabbed her around the waist. "Oh really? Have you ever woken up to someone staring at you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"All the time. Children often do it." Anne retorted cheekily.

"You're taking advantage of the fact that I'm tired right now, Miss Shirley," Gilbert commented, with a roguish glint in his eye. "Don't forget I'll have my revenge later on when I'm called out to see patients in the middle of the night. We'll see who's watching who then." Another giggle escaped her, until he put his arms around her tightly, and bent his curly head to kiss her firmly. The laughter had gone from their faces when he looked at her again. Hers was close to his own, her hand was on his chest and her voice was the low one that completely undid him.

"I won't be Miss Shirley then, though," she whispered. There was a moment breathless anticipation, and the kiss that followed was deeper, more hungry. Little unbidden thoughts of bliss crept through Anne's mind, and it was with an effort that she pulled her wits together some minutes later, before pulling away from him with a little smile.

"As wonderful as this is, dearest, we _are_ expected somewhere soon."

"You know, I'd just as soon stay here alone with you," he muttered, with a grin. He sighed and got up to help Anne to her feet, and stood behind her at the mirror while she settled her hair. She looked at his reflection with a little glance that deepened when he ran his hands around her waist from behind. "I love doing this," he mumbled, pressing a kiss into the skin just under her ear.

The room suddenly felt too warm to Anne, and it was with brightly flushed cheeks that she stepped away carefully, putting a small distance between them for reasons she couldn't name. She gave him a reassuring smile, saying she needed to get her hat from her room.

Gilbert watched her go and went to get his jacket, long discarded over the arm of the lounge chair. He took in a long breath and ruffled his brown curls, straightening up the cushions he had dislodged. Looking at his own reflection in the mirror, he gave a wry laugh. Ten years, he thought with a little groan. Ten years of fairly good self-control seemed to take a running jump, in the face of the one thing he wasn't immune to- her overwhelming love for _him_.

When Anne met him at the foot of the stairs, the intensity had dissipated. He met her eyes with the frankness that she loved and his satchel over one shoulder; together they locked up the little house and set off into the late afternoon, hand in hand.

* * *

That evening after dinner, Anne and Gilbert sat in Mrs Saunders' little parlour talking to Charlie and Nicole and getting to know young Bruce Weston. He was shy and had at first looked extremely awkward- Moody had badgered him into attending, not wanting to be left alone with the two sets of couples. As it turned out, he and Moody sat in the hard little chairs for most of the evening, arguing the separation of church and state with Mr Saunders. The little man was in his element as he routed the pair of them, and Gilbert nudged Anne with a grin as he shot out a particularly fine point, causing Moody to throw up his hand in defeat.

Anne and Nicole had been discussing the classes at Redmond for some time, and Gilbert had begun to watch Charlie with a curious look. The latter was looking decidedly uncomfortable and had fixed his eye on his Dear Nicole with a stern look that soon drew Anne's attention as well. Seeing something slightly different to Gilbert, she choked slightly, fighting to keep a smile from crossing her features. Gilbert noticed her reaction and raised an eyebrow in silent question.

Anne shook her head at him, her eyes twinkling. "I'll tell you later," she said softly.

Gilbert looked up at the clock on the mantelpiece, and Anne asked him quietly if it was time to go. The service at the big old Presbyterian church they attended would begin at eight, a quieter, more personal service than the formal one on Sunday morning. Anne had always loved the intimacy of evening services back home, and whenever she could make it for the later service she often went to it in Kingsport. Knowing the others would follow soon, Gilbert soon suggested they get going, and after a fond farewell from the Saunders, they stood on the front steps of his boardinghouse with a little sigh of relief.

Gilbert took her hand with a contented sigh. "So why the urgency to leave?" he asked lightly.

Anne turned to him, her eyes bright with suppressed laughter. "Oh Gil, I've seen that look on Charlie's face before- I think he had something personal he wanted to say to Nicole- and I realised how much I had been monopolising her attention in conversation."

"She _was_ enjoying it, Anne."

"Charlie wasn't though. Actually- you _may_ think me a little crazy perhaps-" she said, hesitant.

"Always a possibility-" he teased.

"But I wondered if perhaps he was trying to get up the courage to propose to her tonight," Anne said slowly.

Gilbert laughed, surprised. "I see. Well, good; Charlie needs to get a move on. I told him that yesterday."

She looked up at him, surprised. "Wonders will never cease! Gilbert Blythe is taking to matchmaking now?"

He clasped her hand in his tightly, his eyes warm. "Only the happiest do it, I've heard. And I just gave him a nudge."

As they strolled in the evening light, Anne chuckled. "I saw the way he was squirming, and it reminded me so much of when he proposed to me, all I could think was that I didn't want to see him repeat the performance in front of us. Nicole is a dear girl though; I believe she will look after Charlie beautifully."

He nodded and gave a short chuckle. "I still can't believe he proposed to you before I did."

Anne smiled wryly. "Oh, trust me, I was there. He did. Coming on the heels of Billy's proposal via Jane it shouldn't have been a shock, but it was."

"And after that, it was just me. Twice." Gilbert said, his voice flat, and was slightly nonplussed when Anne stopped walking suddenly, irrepressible laughter bubbling up.

"I fail to see the humour in that," Gilbert grumbled.

Anne put a hand on his arm in brief apology, still chuckling.

"No, Gil, it's because there's something I forgot to tell you. There was actually another proposal between yours."

Gilbert's eyebrows flew up, and he stopped cold on the street.

"Who was it? That junior from the Physics department?"

"Oh, no one from here," Anne said, with a shudder. "Oh Gilbert, it made Charlie and Billy's proposals seem almost sane in comparison."

He looked at her in consternation. "Heavens, what happened?"

"Do you remember last summer?" she asked him dryly.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "As if I could forget it."

"I'm sure you know by now just how tightly wound I was when I was teaching in Valley Road." she stated.

He laughed at that, slipping his arm around her. "You were a bit of a mess when you came back to school." he acknowledged, ignoring the glare she gave him. "I know, I know; I wasn't any better. Continue."

"Well, there was a young man who lived in the district, and he and I had spoken perhaps five words to each other in the whole time I was there. A few weeks before I left to come home, he sat on Janet's front porch and told me that he needed a woman to keep house, and thought he may as well marry one. He asked if I would 'hev' him."

Gilbert's glance was appalled. "And that for my romantic girl!"

"Well, you couldn't expect him to know that. Gil, I wouldn't worry; the two proposals you made to me were romantic enough to do me for a lifetime. The first may have been hard, however, in hindsight it was a part of the most wonderful love story ever told." she said gently. He bent to kiss her, and she put her head on his shoulder for a moment.

He smirked then. "So what did you say? Apart from no, I mean?"

Anne scrunched her face up, making him laugh. "I believe I mentioned how highly strung I was," she said shamefacedly. "I _could_ have just refused, but I'd completely had enough by then. I knew that I was never going to see you again, and I was hurting so much about that, and then I'd gone and kissed you completely inappropriately and hated myself for that. Not to mention that I had ended things with Roy, and so would have to face a mountain of Redmond gossip alone in just a few weeks time." She grinned reluctantly, and Gilbert squeezed her arm. "So I lost my temper, I raked Samuel fore and aft quite terribly and told him that he had no business proposing to someone so completely unknown. And I might have also said that I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than consider him as a husband."

Gilbert couldn't keep the mirth from his face, and he pulled her close as they walked. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry."

"So was he," she said cheerfully. "He ran from the property as if I was chasing him with a pot of boiling oil. It was _not_ my finest hour."

The building was in sight now, and they could hear the choir practising in the distance, the twilight air full of the fragrance of spring. Gilbert lifted her hand to his lips as they walked up the road towards the stone building, the stained glass windows gleaming with mellow light.

"If I haven't mentioned it to you before, Anne, thank you for saying yes to me." he said to her softly.

She glanced up at him then, the tenderness in her eyes unmistakable. "Thank _you_ for asking me again."

Just before they reached the doors, Gilbert pulled back from her then with a twinkle in his eye. "Wait, does this mean I can expect the future Mrs Blythe with her BA to keep herself amused just by keeping house for me? This fellow could be right- I never considered the more practical benefits of marriage- dusted floors, good meals-" he said innocently.

It was at this point he broke off at the anticipated whack on his arm, much to the consternation of the usher waiting on the steps.

"Mr Benson, lovely to see you," a stately Anne said to the bewildered gentleman, sweeping past a still laughing Gilbert. Whatever their future might hold, he already knew that a life spent at this woman's side would be anything but boring.


	14. Chapter 14, Easter Saturday

**Chapter 14**

It was mid-morning when Anne finished her washing on Saturday, her clothing and sheets bobbing merrily on the line in the orchard. She sighed in relief as she finished, closing her eyes as the sweet-scented breeze came through the trees. Despite the task at hand, she had been working away dreamily at the story taking shape in her mind, with a pen and paper on the washstand in the little room on the back veranda of Patty's Place. Patty Spofford had a love for gadgetry, something that the women of Patty's Place were devoutly thankful for- the wringers alone saved the girls many hours through the week.

Anne wandered into the shade of the old trees, sitting down on the rocks that lay there. Rusty and Joseph had been gambolling and pouncing on crickets under the trees, while the Sarah-cat sat on a low branch watching them disinterestedly. Anne leant back on her palms, thinking about the service the night before. The young minister visiting the church the evening before had movingly spoken of love and of sacrifice, and Anne dwelt on his words that morning.

In the infrequent times she had attended church as a young child, she had heard the Easter message through the filter of those who surrounded her. When _He_ was mentioned, He was the Man of Sorrows- the one whose disappointment appeared to be in her alone. Who had made her hair red on purpose, who believed she was bad and wicked, according to Mrs Thomas. Deep inside she had wondered why a God who _loved_ needed a sacrifice to save humanity- surely there had been another way? Could she ever be loved like that, as flawed as she was?

It had taken the Reverend Allen to untangle some of her theological concerns- although he had laughed when confirming that he believed God wanted her hair the colour it was. As she sat in the old orchard now, she thought dreamily that only love could make sense of sacrifice. It was a revelation the young Anne Shirley could not have understood, having been shown only cruelty and neglect at the hands of those raising her. This Anne knew better- knew that the adults who had mistreated her were themselves broken. Mrs Allen had taught her gently to disregard their words, while still being respectful for their provision. Many years on, her advice made far more sense- their words couldn't hurt her anymore- and she could be in no doubt that love had made the difference in her life. Matthew and Marilla, Diana and her beloved friends- and of course, Gilbert. As they had walked home the night before she had tried to explain some of this to him- until she saw his reaction to her past. She smiled, thinking of the way he had held her tightly, at the way he had whispered that he would never allow her to be hurt again. Anne had pulled away from him to see his eyes, trying to reassure him somehow. She was no longer forlorn, no longer alone. No longer a child buffeted by other people's decisions, but a grown woman with a future ahead of her- a future with the man who held her now.

Anne rose to her feet, looking into the limbs of the biggest tree with a smile. The Sarah-cat was sleeping now, curled in the crook of the branch. Rusty had gone in search of other prey, and Joseph had most likely gone inside to sleep in Aunt Jimsie's room. The older woman had insisted that Anne leave her downstairs bedroom door ajar so that the cats could maintain their normal sleeping positions on the foot of her bed. Anne's eyes twinkled, as she considered Marilla's opinion on the matter- no cat had ever been allowed near the house; unlike the Blythe farm, where even Gilbert had been heard to complain about the cats- _plural_ \- who insisted on sleeping under the sunny window on his desk. And on his bed, and bookshelf, and clothes...

Feeling unusually relaxed in the emptiness of the house, Anne pulled her long hair from the hasty knot she had tied it in that morning, letting her red curls hang loose. She had planned on washing her hair while the washing dried, mentally groaning at the thought of pulling the bath all the way up to her room as she usually did. It was then that a daring idea occurred to her- well, she simply _wouldn't_ this time. The kitchen contained more room, and had adequate curtains over the windows- so why shouldn't she? Feeling as if she was doing something terribly inappropriate, Anne set about bringing everything down to the kitchen. The bath was prepared in a surprisingly short amount of time, and some minutes later she was soaking luxuriously up to her shoulders with a sigh of relief. This was peace. For a time she lay in the bath, letting the smell of the roses she had sprinkled over the water soothe and refresh her.

She lifted her leg out of the water to inspect her knees, pulling a face at the enormous purple and yellow streaks now covering them. She let it fall back into the water and sat up to begin to wash her long hair. It was with a smile that she remembered Gilbert removing the pieces of the branch that had been caught in the soft curls two days ago, and she found herself blushing to be thinking of him while in this state. And yet to avoid it was impossible. As she lifted a pitcher of water over her hair to rinse it, she let her mind wander to the way he had cared for her injuries- how intimately loved and _safe_ she felt. No, thinking about him was inevitable.

* * *

Many hours later, Gilbert closed the door to his boarding house. He had been going from appointment to appointment all morning; with two classes, a meeting with the editor at the paper, and his usual tutoring session with young Timothy. The younger man had teased his tutor about being distracted, hinting that the session could finish early if he was really so eager to go to his beloved. He had grinned, giving the young man a light cuff over the ear. As Gilbert walked down the street, he considered the other young men and women he had prepared for the Entrance from the White Sands school. Certainly, none of them had shown the promise that young Mr Blackwell did, and he thought that the boy had a fair chance of doing very well indeed.

As he walked slowly through the park, he kept his eyes down. Not noticing the beauty of the day, only intent on getting to Anne. He had known what he would see if he did, a beautiful spring day, exactly like another he had walked through in times past. Pushing unwelcome subjects away, he set his mind to thoughts of the future, and the myriad of decisions that would need to be made before it could come to pass. Professor Fredrickson had spoken with him the week before, although he had not spoken to Anne about it. The scholarship committee would make their decision within the next three weeks, and the professor was confident that Gilbert had succeeded- his exams would be the final piece of the puzzle. As he walked through the park, he gave a little shiver. Could he have done this without Anne? Could he have survived the ordeal without her encouragement, without her determination to protect him from his own stubbornness to win?

As long as Anne didn't mention the Cooper, he wouldn't either. There was a little smile on his face as he thought about how he would tell her he had won. It had been his dream for the last year- to see the look on her face, to give to her what he had earned. As he passed an older couple who looked at him strangely, he realised that he was smiling for no discernible reason. He waved at them airily, before entering the quieter parts of the park on his own.

As he walked, he thought of the conversations that he and Anne had not had. He'd been keeping some things from her- but then again, so had she.

Gilbert's face sobered. He knew she had received letters back from several of the schools she had applied to, however she hadn't said anything to him about them yet. Phil had inadvertently let it slip to him, although she didn't have any idea what was inside. He thought he knew what that meant, and sighed heavily. He wouldn't press her, she would tell him when she was ready. He'd tried to picture her staying in Kingsport with him, he'd tried to imagine her teaching further away. The ache inside seemed to grow in its intensity, and it was with an effort that he pushed that away too. They had work to do before they could be together. He knew that, knew it had been coming. But when he finished medical school- there was a Blythe like stubbornness that came over his face at that thought- _when_ he had finished medical school, he would make her his wife, and never be separated from her again.

At the little gate that was covered in spring roses, he halted suddenly. The thoughts he had been avoiding all day hit him at once, the smell of the grounds striking him with all the force of old memories. There were little patches of violets coming up beside the pathway now- he had to force himself not to look at the cluster of white ones under the lemon tree.

Gilbert frowned, suddenly angry with himself. This was ridiculous- he'd spent nearly eight months coming and going from Patty's Place, there was no sense in pinning any significance to today. Anne would be inside, that would be enough to banish the ghosts of yesterday.

When Anne met him at the door with a big smile, her arms were full of crisp white sheets, freshly ironed. Immediately, he felt his anxiety begin to dissipate. She flew around the lounge room picking up her scattered washing, talking merrily about her day. When at last she noticed his quiet demeanour, she stopped with an indulgent smile.

"I'm sorry Gil, surely you would prefer me to not talk about housework. The two of us are nearly BAs, after all," she said with twinkling eyes.

"You know I don't mind," he said with a smile. "Talk about anything you'd like."

Anne picked up another pile and turned to him apologetically. "I'm still not done, I'm afraid. Do you mind if I keep working upstairs? You could have a rest down here if you'd like- and I'll even promise not to startle you this time."

Gilbert looked around the empty lounge room. "Or I can help you if you'd like," he said, offhandedly.

Anne chuckled. "You don't need to, Gil. You've worked enough today."

"But I haven't seen you. And I _need_ you," he said lightly.

Anne's face was turned from him, so he didn't see her startled look at what she heard in his tone. Schooling her features, she turned back to him with a smile and studied him surreptitiously. Was he alright?

"Of course it is wildly inappropriate for you to come upstairs with me." she teased, happy to give in on that point.

"So it's right up our alley." he said smugly, and she laughed.

"Come on then, darling. Would you bring the baskets?"

He grinned then, already feeling lighter.

When they entered her bedroom though, he had second thoughts about what he had suggested.

 _Use your brain, Blythe…_ he thought, with a groan. Out loud, he merely asked what she needed help with.

"I need to make my bed, and I need to put my clothes away. Which would you like to help with?" Anne asked him innocently.

Gilbert grinned as well, his cheeks flushing. "Oh alright, Miss Shirley. Maybe I didn't think this through."

"No. It is nice to have your company, though." She placed the pile of sheets on the feather tick mattress and took his hand. She towed him to the little window seat and sat him down with a smile. "There, dearest. Now you can be out of the way, and still be here."

Gilbert looked out of her window as she began to put her clothes away, somehow finding the strength to not watch what she was doing too closely.

"Your view really is lovely. I only look out on dirty streets from my room," he commented.

Anne smiled, as she folded undergarments carefully. "It's why I chose this one, actually."

Gilbert looked around with a smile. "I think it chose you, sweetheart. It's very you." There were little hints of her all over the room- flowers on the desk and bedside table, books on most surfaces. The washstand with its pretty green skirt, and a little calendar over her desk.

He started to laugh as he looked at the calendar. "Anne? You have a calendar of red-headed women?"

Anne laughed. "Oh, blame Phil. She gave it to me just before we all went home for Christmas. She said that she was tired of hearing me bemoan my red hair, and thought a dose of Titian's artworks might make me more reasonable on the subject."

"Ah. Did it work?"

Anne shrugged, her eyes twinkling. "I still think it would be nice to have raven black hair like Diana…," she said with a sigh, and then smiled at the stern look he gave her. "However as long as you love me, Gilbert, I can handle my hair."

"You know that I do."

Anne was surprised when he stood up then and moved to the bed to silently take the other end of the sheet.

"Gil, you don't have to-" she started to say when he silenced her with a kiss.

"Err- let's just do it without talking," he said, with a wry grin. "I think that might be best."

He did his best to reign in wayward thoughts, however, he couldn't help but smile at the task they were doing together. At the flick of her wrist as she sent the sheet billowing to the other side, at the way a stubborn lock of hair fell into her eyes while wrestling with the apple leaf quilt, and the hand the smoothed over her pillows when they were done. Anne picked up the washing baskets to leave, and Gilbert took them off her and then stepped outside her door safely. Once in the hall, he put his arm around her waist, bending to kiss her, bringing her to rest against the wall gently. Anne smiled against his lips, relaxing with a slight sigh that made him pull away. He touched her forehead with his own and looked at her.

"What is it?" he said softly.

Anne looked up at him, her hand cradling his cheek. "I'm just glad to be here with you now." As his hands rested on her waist, she sighed at his closeness, giggling at the feeling of his warm lips on her neck. "I think the altitude is getting to you, dearest."

"Hmm. Perhaps."

Anne took his hand, pulling him back down the hall, towards the staircase. "We don't need to leave for a while yet, let's go outside into the sunshine."

A sudden, reserved look came to Gilbert's face as they walked together. "Could we not, this afternoon?"

Anne turned to him in some surprise.

"Gil, what is it?" she asked softly. "You always want to be outside."

He smiled at her. "Not today." He pulled her in closer to him, his face buried in the soft red hair on her shoulder. "I just want to be close to you, that's all," he said quietly.

Anne pulled back to look at him, puzzled. "You _have_ me, sweetheart."

He walked them to the most comfortable of the sofas and sat down slowly, watching her turn to study his face. He was kicking himself for being so obvious. Of course, she could tell, she knew him better than that.

"It's really nothing," he said at last. Anne's look was pointed, and in spite of himself, Gilbert began to chuckle. "Sorry." He was silent again for a short time and finally pulled away from her, folding his arms as casually as he could.

"I'm tired of talking about the past," he said in a brittle tone. "It serves no purpose, and we don't need to get bogged down there when there is so much waiting for us."

Anne tucked a curl behind her ear and turned to face him on the sofa. "Alright," she said carefully.

"But the memories don't actually _go_ anywhere. And I wonder if they will _always_ be there- if the dates will somehow stick in my mind, and when we're old and grey I'll still be remembering, still wishing I could change the past-" he broke off, frustrated.

Anne looked at him, her eyes hesitant. She hadn't thought about it at all- and yet they had arrived at the anniversary neither of them wanted to remember. "It's today- isn't it?"

Gilbert 's face was controlled and tight as he looked at her. "Exactly two years ago today I walked through the park with a bunch of mayflowers, and found you out in the orchard all by yourself."

Anne's face crumpled, in compassion. "Oh, _Gil_. My dearest boy-" she said softly. His eyes closed as her hands caressed his face.

"I know that it's fine now. But today looks exactly the same as it did then. I saw the mayflowers growing in the park, and all I could think was of approaching you as I did then and having you torn from me." he said bleakly. "I've had dreams where we are out there and you are with me as we are now, and suddenly we're not together- it's 1885, and I've lost you all over again."

Anne wiped a tear from her cheek and rose up on her knees to face him on the lounge. She cupped his face in her hands, her voice breaking. "Gil, I'm here. I'm never leaving you- and I can't live without you. I'm _here_." She looked deeply into the hazel eyes so close to her own and swallowed hard. "Gilbert, you know that I know about living with painful memories. They fade; they truly do. And if they come up, I _make them_ make me more grateful for the happiness I have now, even if it still hurts at times. This will become just another day, and one that we don't need to fear."

He heard her now through the fog of his bleak thoughts and pulled her to him. "Promise?" he said, his voice rough.

"I promise." She sat back from him slightly then and took his larger hand in her own slender ones. She placed his hand over her heart, with a pleading look. "You're right here, Gil. You have been all along- and it was exactly two years ago that I first felt what that meant to me."

Gilbert pulled her down to rest against his chest with a sigh, and he put his arms around her. He felt ashamed to have admitted it, ashamed that something so removed from their present could still hurt him.

He had never told her how he had spent that day last year- that after enduring hours of bitter reminders of the day, and still worse, the sight of her with Roy; that he had rashly accepted an invitation to go out drinking with the other boys of the football team. They had exulted in finally convincing their honourable captain to loosen up, and bitter had been the aftermath of that night. Charlie had looked down his long nose and scolded him in disgust, not understanding that the root cause of Gilbert's pain hurt far worse than any hangover ever could. It had been the first and only time he had done so.

He smoothed the hair back from Anne's face, feeling the warmth of her body rest against him comfortingly. His other hand stroked up and down her back, as a big sigh escaped him.

"This is something I could never have dreamed of back then," he said after a little while, and she tipped her face up to look at him. "I couldn't have imagined us like _this._ " He laughed suddenly. "I mean, I _did_ imagine- well, I suppose I imagined enough. But I never thought about what it would be like to feel sure of you."

Anne looked at him thoughtfully. "I couldn't have imagined this either."

"What? Anne Shirley _not_ imagining?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I could only imagine what I read in books. When I pictured love, I could imagine being brought to a great estate as a governess, at being slighted at a ball. At love growing on windswept moors-"

"Because there are _so_ many of those in Canada-"

Anne swatted him at that and shifted to see him better. "I never imagined feeling so close to you, or what it would be like to work towards a life together." She put her hand on his jaw and sighed. "I never imagined that this would feel like _this_ ," she said softly.

His arms crept around her, and he shifted to bring their faces closer. "So how is it for you then?"

Anne's smile was tender. "I think you know the answer to that," was all she would say. Indeed, it was a long time before anything was said at all.

* * *

The restaurant Gilbert took Anne to that night was packed with people, all anxious to make the most of their holiday. Anne's eyes moved around the cosy room as they finished their meal, a dreamy smile on her face. She looked across at Gilbert, studying his lean brown face with its twisted smile, the hazel eyes that watched her so closely. She reached up to brush her fingers through his curls, bringing the smile to his beloved face yet again. Had she known back when they first began college- had she only known the joy that she could bring to him! Of course, that would have taken long engagements to the extreme.

Gilbert grabbed the hand she held to his face with a little smile. He loved watching the many and varied expressions that crossed her face, never getting tired of trying to read them all. "What are you thinking, Anne-girl?"

She rested her chin in her other hand, smiling as he kissed her fingers. "Of seven-year engagements."

At that, he started. "Good grief, I should hope not!" he said, with feeling.

"No, not _now_ Gil, I was just thinking that if I'd known all the way back then, when we started college together- we could have had a seven-year engagement."

At this he laughed, shaking his head. "No, no deal. If that had happened, I might have gone back to being a teacher."

"And given up your dream?" Anne said, disappointed.

"Anne, there is _no_ way I would make you wait for me for seven years. There's no way _I_ could have waited that long. So let's be thankful that things occurred the way they did." He smiled at her then. "Irrespective of all the heartache."

Anne looked at him wistfully. "Gil? Would you take back your first proposal if you could?"

Gilbert looked at her, deep in thought. He'd gone over this territory in his own mind only that afternoon, after admitting to Anne how much the day had affected him. A sensible man would have saved himself the pain- and saved the woman he loved it as well. Gilbert was as surprised as Anne was when he shook his head slowly.

"I was always going to do it," he said, his voice gentle. "If it hadn't been that day it would have been another. I don't think I would have learned any other way. I wish I could spare us the hurt, but you and I are better for it." He gripped her hand tightly in his own. "I _know_ that you love me- and you know that I love you. That's something we didn't have back then."

Anne blinked the sudden tears from her eyes. In the crowded room she could not say how she felt at his admission; however, a small burden of guilt fell off her with his words- one she hadn't even realised she was carrying. She would never have known- she wouldn't have understood that the reality of love made the phantoms and illusions she had carried dissolve into smoke. Only Gilbert belonged in her heart.

The two of them walked the streets back to Patty's Place in the darkness, a new consciousness hanging over the two of them. When Gilbert held the door open for her she turned to hang up her coat, and then he was there, his arms around her, his lips caressing hers breathlessly. They tumbled onto the nearest sofa, and her hands were in his hair, as she whispered her love for him between kisses. He laughed at the impatient way she loosened his tie, her slender fingers touching him gently. The neckline of her dress showed the beautiful line of her throat, and she smelled of roses- he held her to him and kissed her with a fervour that he normally held under rigid control. She was incredible- the fearless girl he had loved for her fire and passion. His hand was on her waist, and unthinkingly it slid up her side against the gentle curve of her breast as he kissed her. At her gasp he pulled back, suddenly afraid- and yet it wasn't fear on her face, not for a moment- it was _desire_.

The moment had abruptly ended, and he pulled back from her, breathing heavily. He couldn't explain why he had- until he saw the look on her face. Anne's cheeks that had been flushed were so pale, and she had a look in her eyes that made him whiten himself.

"Anne, sweetheart, I'm so sorry-" he faltered.

She shook her head quickly, trying to smile. "No, Gil, it's fine. We just-"

He nodded quickly, turning to sit next to her, her hand in his tightly. "Got carried away. I know. Are you alright?"

She nodded, trying to reassure him. "Of course. Are you-?" she broke off then, her hand coming to her face. "I don't even know how to finish that thought," she whispered.

Gilbert had regained his equilibrium at this point and was beginning to understand her reaction. "I'm fine. We both are." He took her other hand in his and took a deep breath. "Should we talk about this tomorrow?" he asked, slowly. "I'm thinking that it would be better if we didn't right now."

Anne manufactured a bright smile for him. "Of course. Tomorrow. We're having lunch in the park after the service, aren't we?"

"We'll do anything you want, sweetheart."

Gilbert stood up then and went to retrieve his coat. As he tightened his tie he missed the look of shame the covered Anne's face, and it was with an effort that she turned to face him calmly, not wanting him to read the self-loathing she felt so piercingly.

He took her hand again as she stood at the front door, his face gentle. "It's alright, I swear it is, Anne. We're alright."

Her grey eyes were troubled, and he pulled her into a fierce hug. "Tomorrow? I'll pick you up from here at nine."

Anne nodded, brushing aside the red hair that had fallen out of her chignon. "I'll be ready," she said, her voice soft.

He kissed her goodnight, and she watched him turn to wave at the gate before he disappeared out of sight. Rusty came prowling around her feet then and stepped lightly out of the way when she sank to the ground, with her back against the locked door. Tears of disappointment and hurt began to fall, and the only broken thought that splintered through her mind was this-

 _They were right about me._


	15. Chapter 15, Past Wounds, Present Pain

**Chapter 15**

When Gilbert knocked on Anne's door at nine-o-clock on Sunday morning, Anne was already waiting for him. Neatly and prettily dressed as usual, he nevertheless was more concerned with what he saw in her eyes. He could see that her night had been as bad as his, and sighed, knowing how she would have punished herself. As he took her hand he thought grimly that _that_ was going to end today. The conversation had been coming for a while- perhaps it was best that it happened now, and far from Mrs Lynde's watchful eyes.

Anne wasn't aware of how silent she was on the walk to church. It was an easy distance and one with innumerable small beauties, however she was blind to them that morning. The self-recriminations continued, as well as a nagging fear that Gilbert could be angry with her as well. That this was completely irrational had escaped her notice for the time being; in her distraction she hadn't noticed that his concerned eyes rarely left her. Abnormally sensitive, Anne entered the old church vividly picturing the stately matrons looking at her, seeing past the external to the wretched girl underneath, the one who clearly didn't know any better.

The sanctuary was beautifully decorated that morning- big displays of flowers sat on either side of the altar, and swathes of crimson, purple, gold and white hung from the picture rails, replacing the black that had hung there on Friday evening. Anne looked in Gilbert in surprise, as he steered them towards the back pew instead of their normal seat. He flashed her a quick smile.

Some minutes into the service, as they were standing for the first hymn, Anne was looking absently through the window depicting Paul's shipwrecking, when she felt a slight nudge from his elbow. He was looking down at her with a gentle look, and she dropped her eyes- his kindness somehow making her feel even worse.

Gilbert looked around at the congregation, who were valiantly trying to keep up with the choir on an unusually complicated hymn. The elders had stepped away from the doors by now, and over the sea of feathered hats in the congregation, he doubted that anyone would see them. He tightened his lips, and bent down to whisper in Anne's ear. "Come with me." To her shock, she found herself being pulled out of the doors, her purse thankfully still in her hand. Alas, so was the hymnal. Gilbert took the book from her with an apologetic look, and placed it carefully on the side steps of the building. "That'll really make someone wonder how it got there." he muttered.

"Gilbert Blythe, what on earth are you doing?" a confused Anne asked as they walked away.

"Did you hear a single word that was said this morning?" he asked her frankly.

Her cheeks flushed. "Well- no."

They were walking down the empty streets now, and he slowed their pace, heading with purpose towards the park. "Neither did I. And I feel even _less_ up to the polite chit-chat necessary with others, before we can be by ourselves to talk. Let's just do it now."

Within minutes they had entered the little grove of trees that they called their own, and sat down carefully under the old tree. Gilbert pulled her to him, ignoring the way she held herself stiffly. On instinct he remained silent for some time, giving her time to relax. When at last she removed her hat and rested her head against his shoulder, he sighed.

"So. About last night." he said gently.

"Gilbert, I'm sorry-" Anne said, tensing up again.

Gilbert took her by the shoulders and bent his head down to her level. "Anne, _stop_ \- I'm not going to let you do this." he said firmly.

A flash came into her eyes at his words. "So I'm _not_ allowed to apologise to you?" she said frostily.

Gilbert let out a breath, opting to tread carefully. "I think you are apologising for something that you really _shouldn't_ be." he said slowly. "And I promise I'll hear you out. But I wondered if you would let me go first."

Anne nodded stiffly after a moment. He looked at her rigid posture, and sighed.

"Anne, I'm the one who needs to say that I'm sorry." Gilbert took her hand in his, trying to ignore the wary look in her eyes. "I'm terrified that I scared you last night- that after all this time together you won't trust me again-"

He broke off in shock when she threw her arms around his neck tightly, almost cutting off his air supply.

"Gilbert Blythe, you _idiot_." she said, her voice shaking.

He moved her arm so that he could breathe easier, his other arm coming around to hold her tightly. "Is that any way to talk to your fiance?" he said with a slight chuckle that stopped abruptly when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"How could you even _consider_ that?"

Gilbert's jaw tightened. "Anne, I saw the look on your face last night. You _were_ afraid."

Anne pulled away from him miserably. "I was afraid of _me_." she said bitterly. "It's _me_ , Gil. And you deserve better than that."

Before she could move any further, Gilbert tucked her arm under his firmly, keeping her by his side. Her entire body was shaking with emotion, and he took a deep breath in, willing her to calm down. "Anne, slow it down for me. Why on _earth_ would you think that?"

Anne closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. The words from her youth had been sounding in her ears since the previous night, and it had become harder for her to think clearly. She looked into his earnest face and tried to blink the unwelcome tears away.

When she still didn't respond, he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Anne, you can tell me anything." he pleaded. "What's going on in that head of yours?" She closed her eyes then, trying to speak. However, when she did, it was not in the direction Gilbert had supposed.

"There- there were two girls who lived in the town of Marrickville. Where I lived with the Hammonds." she faltered. "One of them had a baby, but no husband. Another was married, but the women all talked about her- the baby was born only a month after the wedding. Rumour had it that the father was forced into a marriage. They were outcasts amongst the women of the town, no one would associate with them. Mrs Hammond said they were both immoral and wicked." She felt the tears rush to her eyes again, and her face crumpled. "And she said that I was sure to become just like them."

" _Anne_ -" Gilbert said, horrified.

She shook her head. "And I thought they _were_ wicked." she said drearily. "I thought they deserved to be shamed, as Mrs Hammond said. And I told myself that it could never happen to me." Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and Gilbert pulled her close as she talked. "I never planned on marrying, not back then. But I thought that if ever I did, I would be so careful, that _no one_ could ever say-" her voice shook, and Gilbert's heart felt as if it would break.

"Anne, it's not true!" he exclaimed, tortured.

She turned her head to look at him, and he flinched at the look he had rarely seen on her face, the disillusionment that must have existed before Green Gables. "Gilbert, you don't understand." she managed to choke out. "I wanted to ask you to stay last night. I wanted you in my room, in my bed. I wasn't thinking about the future, about medical school, or your reputation; all I could think was that I never wanted you to leave me. I _am_ what she said about me."

Gilbert held her as she began to cry in earnest, and rocked her gently in his arms. "No, sweetheart. You're not." he whispered, and simply waited. When she was a little calmer, he pulled back to look at her. "Anne, listen to me. What do you think _I_ wanted?" His eyes stared into her own, intense and passionate. She could only look at him, confused. "I wanted _you_. I've _always_ wanted you. In every way you _can_ want someone. You don't know how I wanted to pick you up and carry you up the stairs last night- I wanted to lay you on the bed we made, and make love to you right then. You aren't alone in feeling that."

"But it _would_ be wrong-" she protested.

"For us to act on it, yes." He gave her a half-smile. "We're not ready for the consequences of that, and we know we don't want to start our life together that way." He pushed the hair back from her forehead, and kissed her gently. "But we _didn't_ , did we?However much we both wanted to."

Anne rested her head on his shoulder with a sigh. "I thought about those women late last night. I was so critical, Gil- now I wonder if they were just girls who fell in love, and got swept away."

Gilbert looked at her, and smiled sadly. "Anne, you were only ten- you can't blame yourself for thinking that adults knew what they were talking about. You didn't know any better."

To his relief she slipped down on the grass to lay her red head in his lap. He ran his fingers through her curls, relaxing for the first time since the previous night. He had spent most of the night awake restlessly, wondering how to proceed. Part of him wished he had insisted on talking then and there, however emotions had already been running too high. They needed _time_. After a few minutes, he started to talk to her about what he had been thinking through the long night.

"Anne, the reason I wanted to talk about this wasn't to exchange apologies for what happened- or even for what _could_ have happened last night." Gilbert said lightly, smiling when she rolled over to look at him. "It's because this was bound to come up for us eventually." Anne's look was startled, and Gilbert gave her a wry grin. "Anne-girl, we're only going to become closer as time goes by. It's going to be ha-" he broke off suddenly, rethinking his words with flushed cheeks. "Er- _difficult_ at times. We're probably going to get carried away again, just like last night; and we'll come up against the boundaries that we'll need to learn to manage better." he said logically. "And if I were to guess, we'll probably also have moments where one of us needs to be stronger, because the other one of us won't be at the time."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of." she said, her voice wooden.

He moved his hand to brush her soft cheek, and sighed. "That applies to _both_ of us. Anne, we spent so much time together by ourselves as friends. Some of the best times of my life." he said, honestly. "Until _now_ , of course. I think we've been telling ourselves that being together, in love couldn't be so very different to what we shared then- but we know that just isn't true." he said, his voice gentle. "There's a whole other element that just wasn't there before- and it's not going anywhere, _because_ we love each other."

Anne shifted against his leg, and gave a little sigh.

"I suppose I did think that. And I know, it was naive and silly."

"You won't ever hear me say that." he said in a firm voice. "Look, we're normal, sweetheart. Every couple goes through it. I know Fred and Diana did-"

Anne's eyes widened in shock, and Gilbert stopped abruptly. "She didn't say anything to you?" Anne shook her head, dumbfounded. "Oh. Well, I suppose she didn't because we weren't there yet." he said in apology.

" _Fred_ told you? I can't believe that. Gil, Di isn't like that," Anne said, bewildered. "She's far more restrained and proper than I could ever hope to be. Are you sure you aren't mistaken?"

Gilbert chuckled. "Look, just ask her about it. You know she'll tell you everything, if her letters are any indication. Fred was warning me about the rigors of a long engagement over Christmas."

Anne's cheeks flushed. She was silent for a moment, before turning to him again in disbelief. " _Really_ Gil?"

Gilbert's face was telling. "Fred described them to me as 'quite a few near misses'."

Anne's mouth opened a few times in shock, until an amused smile crept over her face. "I think I need to have a talk to Mrs Wright in the summertime." she stated, and then said softly- "I thought maybe it was just _me_."

Gilbert took her hand in his, his look tender. "It's not. I'll even bet Phil could tell you some stories."

At that Anne sat up, shaking her head. "Gil, Jo is a _clergyman_."

He pulled her close, with a tender smile. "He's still a man, and one very much in love. _Everyone_ needs to find a way to navigate this- including us. And even if there was no one else, I'm right there with you. You're not alone." he whispered into her temple.

The two of them watched a pair of sparrows flirting in the long grass, and Anne smiled, watching their little dance.

"Gilbert, why are you always three steps ahead of me?" Anne asked with another sigh. "At least as far as we are concerned."

He chuckled then, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm three _years_ ahead of you, Anne. Twenty-four is a very wise age. You'll see in a few year's time." he said smugly. She laughed, giving him a little shove.

He paused then, and looked at her thoughtfully. "I suppose I've been on this particular pathway for a long time." he said lightly, playing with her hand. Her candid gaze was on him, the one he felt saw everything. "I've loved you for so long- and I've- well, I've had those feelings about you for much of that time." The grey eyes were on his steadily, and he swallowed, feeling that she could read his thoughts. "A lot of that time."

"Like they are now?" she whispered, and he flushed.

"Yeah. Like they are now."

She asked the question that he had known she would, the one he didn't really want to answer. "How long, Gil?"

When he didn't lift his head, she touched his cheek with her hand to make him look at her. He sighed. "Since I was about fifteen." He gave her a regretful smile, and was taken aback when she rose from her seat to hold his face in her hands. She kissed him then sweetly, and grey eyes looked into suddenly shy hazel ones.

"So you're _very_ good at handling this." Anne stated, and Gilbert laughed at the twinkle that had come back into her eyes.

"I've had some practice, I guess. It wasn't appropriate, I know that- you didn't even like me, and you were so young then." he said, contrite.

She shook her head, smiling. "Well, if you could manage those feelings as a young man, I think we can find a way."

Gilbert let out a snort. "Yes, but I can assure you it's much harder when the feelings are reciprocated. And when your engagement ring is on her hand, and she loves you like you love her."

"I do, Gil."

"I know. I do too."

They sat there for some time in silence, the peace in the park soothing them. When Gilbert's stomach suddenly growled, Anne looked at him with a smile.

"You didn't eat breakfast?" she asked.

"No. I just needed to get to you." He looked out across the park, his face closed. "I was worried that you might run from me." he admitted softly, running his hands down her arms.

Anne gave a little start. " _No_ , Gil. We said we'd talk. And you said we would be alright." She touched his cheek again, smiling as she realised he had also foregone shaving that morning. "I was- well, I was working on trusting that."

He stood up, and pulled her into his arms. "Good. Do you think we could go and get that lunch of ours now?"

Anne laughed, a sound that made him sigh with relief. "Let's go. We can come back here after, if you would like."

They began to walk through the trees towards Patty's Place, and Gilbert relished the way she automatically reached for his hand.

When they reached Patty's Place, Gilbert helped Anne with her coat, and he followed her into the kitchen. A few minutes had passed, when Anne looked up from the board she was cutting sandwiches on, to where he was leaning against the bench watching her.

"Just so you know; I'm really not sorry." he suddenly admitted, with a little smile that turned Anne's cheeks pink. "I've had an amazing time here with you these last few days. And while I can accept that we need chaperones, to spend this time alone with you has been like heaven."

She went to put her arms around his waist. "Even with what happened last night?" she asked quietly, and she felt his chuckle against her cheek.

" _Especially_ with what happened last night. Am I allowed to say that now?" he said, with grin.

"Really?" she asked him earnestly.

Gilbert picked her hand up and placed it on his chest, allowing her to feel the heartbeat within. "Anne, being that close to you is the most incredible privilege." His voice was light, belying the emotions battling underneath. "I sometimes can't believe it's me who gets to be with you like that. You- you make me feel like the richest man on earth. And when you say that you want me the way I want you; you don't know what that does to me." he whispered. She pressed her hand flat to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm there.

"I can _feel_ what it does to you." she whispered.

He gave her his beautiful twisted smile, and sighed at the loving look in her grey eyes. To his relief she reached up to slip her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his fervently. He smiled as he returned her kiss, welcome relief flooding through his veins. If she had wanted to slow down, he would have. He could hold himself in check for her. But to know that she wasn't frightened of him, that she still wanted to be close made him almost weak-kneed from thankfulness.

* * *

Some time later, the two of them sat out in the orchard under falling apple blossoms. The sun shone down through the leaves, making Anne's glossy red curls shine. She sighed as she looked out at the loveliness, and spoke softly.

"Are you sure you're alright to be out here?"

"I suggested it, didn't I?" Gilbert reminded her. "I didn't want to walk all the way back to the park again."

"But yesterday-"

Gilbert shook his head. "That was just yesterday." He stretched out on the grass, and looked up at her seriously. "You do realise that was a contributing factor, don't you?"

Anne rested back on her hands, giving him a puzzled look.

"Look, yesterday was rough. And you did everything you could to make it better. But I've noticed that when you and I discuss the past, or any concerns about the future, things get a little more- er, _heated_." he said delicately, seeing the look of shock on her face.

"Does that mean we can't talk about that anymore?"

He laughed then. "No, of course not. But it's only logical to understand that it does affect us."

Anne stretched out on her stomach beside him, looking at his upturned face. "Just when did you become the expert on all of this? Overnight?" she teased, making him grin.

"No, but we're learning about us every day. I'm also learning _you_."

Anne sighed. "Is that how you knew that I would overreact?"

He stroked her cheek then, pushing a loose curl out of the way. "I didn't know what was underneath it, you know I got that wrong. Anne, do you have any idea how precious you are?" he said soberly.

Her smile was wistful. "I know that I am to you."

He shook his head, coming up on one elbow to be closer. "You are to many people. And if it takes me a lifetime, I'm going to undo every message that has told you otherwise."

Not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes again, she lay her head in the crook of his arm with a sigh. He stroked her hair with a smile. "So about our summer getting lost in the woods."

Anne groaned, making him laugh. "Alright, we may need to rethink that."

"No, I still want to do it," he said cheekily. "Just a bit more mindfully, that's all."

Anne turned in his arms to look at the canopy of leaves above them. "The worst part about all of this is that everybody else was _right_." She said crossly. "I think I had ideals about how all of this would play out for us-"

"You? _No_ …" he said exaggeratedly.

Anne looked at him with a little scowl, before resuming. "Oh, be quiet. I suppose I just thought that we would never get into that kind of situation."

He smiled, his eyes regretful. "We're only human, sweetheart. And we also know that one day it will all be worth it."

"And I look forward to that day," she said emphatically. "Do you know how many comments I got from the girls about being here unchaperoned?" she said, aggrieved, making him laugh again.

"I'm sure no worse than any of the things that were said to me."

Anne looked at him, aghast.

"I can assure you that Moody and Charlie were not concerned about your behaviour, only _mine_." he said, much amused by her reaction.

Anne sighed. "Home by sunset, I suppose."

"You got it in one. Of course, I was hoping a freak snowstorm would come up and let me be stranded here with you," he said candidly.

"A snowstorm in April?" Anne said, laughing.

"I can dream, can't I? The hurricane only got us one night. Although it did the trick back then." He stood up then and held his hand out to help her off the ground easily. "So should we still study this afternoon?"

Anne picked up the basket that sat on the ground, and her eyes twinkled at him. "Oh, I think so. You were going to help me, this time."

"I will." A smile lit his handsome face, and he looked at her with suddenly narrowed eyes. "So how much longer are we chaperone-less?"

Anne's cheeks were pink. "Till Tuesday evening, I believe."

"Two whole days." he said thoughtfully.

Anne took her hand from his to lift the basket, her face flushed. "And we need to be careful."

Gilbert put his arm around her waist, pulling her in close with a mischievous grin. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do than practice, Miss Shirley."


	16. Chapter 16, After Sunday

**Chapter 16**

"Gil?"

"Mmm?"

"Did you or did you not say you would take a break from that textbook soon?"

"I did…."

"And are you not a man of your word, dearest?"

"You know that I a- oh, _come_ on Anne, that isn't playing fair."

Gilbert's textbook had slipped to one side, as she traced little kisses along his jawline, from where she leaned over the armchair. His lips curved in a teasing smile, as he gave her hands a tug, laughing at the surprised sound she made as she tumbled onto his lap.

"I say, that _did_ work well." he said, amused.

Anne righted herself with a little giggle. She cuddled in to him, slipping her hand under his waistcoat with a smile. "So you are ready for a break then?"

Gilbert grinned. "You're quite persuasive, Anne-girl. I was just trying to finish the chapter so I could toss the book for the rest of the afternoon."

Anne's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's a _much_ better idea! Well, I'll stop interrupting you-" she tried to get up from his lap, however two powerful arms were holding her in place, and the struggle against them was futile. Over the sound of her laughter, Gilbert continued brightly.

"No, you've done it now, Miss Shirley. I'll never be able to concentrate now. Let me know how graduation goes, won't you?"

Anne's eyes widened in shock, as she gave his chest a shove. "Gilbert John _Blythe_ , using that type of guilt is unforgivable-"

"Come on, I'm only teasing, sweetheart. And you bite so irresistibly."

She sat on his lap crossly with her arms folded, until the feel of his lips against her neck and his hands on her waist made her give quite an involuntary sigh of surrender. Gilbert chuckled.

"If only I'd known that trick when I was thirteen," he said with a cheeky grin, laughing again when her cheeks flamed scarlet and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "No, it's fine, Anne. I only had two pages to go, and I can work on that later. What time are the others due back?"

Anne looked up at the clock over the mantelpiece and sighed. "Phil should be back at tea time, I think, and the train should get in with the others at nine tonight."

"So we have a few hours."

"We do."

The last two days had flown by. Gilbert had come and gone from Patty's Place around his appointments and had even accompanied Anne to Mrs Walton-Smith's morning tea the previous day. The millionaire's wife was overjoyed to meet the young man whom she and her daughter had seen coming and going with the girls with interest and was charmed to find the handsome boy so intelligent and agreeable. Mr Walton-Smith was on the board of directors for the college and had even consented to leave the sanctuary of his study for the distinct pleasure of sitting and discussing scientific advances with Gilbert. Anne watched him with a heart bursting with pride, thinking how well the life of an academic suited his keen intellect. She was proud of the upright man that he was, the passion and vigour he showed in his conversation. The polite way he encouraged the shy spinster daughter into the conversation about her father's railroads, and how he talked with her mother about education opportunities for young women. Every now and then he would look over at her, catching her eye with a loving glance, or disturbing her calm expression with a flirtatious wink that no one else saw. Only a few hours later the scholar would become the mischievous boy again and he would be up an apple tree, his jacket discarded on the ground as he attempted to leap from one tree to the next. Anne sat on the ground with Rusty watching him with a dreamy expression that she didn't even try to put into words.

Their five days alone had nearly come to an end, and holding her to him, Gilbert studied Anne's face closely. So much had changed over the last year- she had only grown lovelier, and he was certain she had never looked as she did now. He also felt he knew her as he never had before. The grey eyes he had always loved spoke volumes to him, and he was certain she could read his as well.

"Do you regret not going home?" he asked softly, smiling at her.

Anne relaxed back into his arms again. "You know that I don't. I'm sorry to not see everyone back at home, and I'll certainly have to make up for it this summer, but I've been exactly where I wanted to be."

Gilbert's hand held the back of her head gently, and he bent to give her a sweet kiss. "Me too. It's been a real break, and just in time before exams." He studied her then. "Where would you like to go on a _real_ holiday?"

Anne looked at him, slightly puzzled. "To _go_?"

He shifted under her slightly, with a thoughtful look. "You know, after all of this is over- after we've graduated, after I become a world class doctor with honours and we get married with giant fanfare. Then we go away on a holiday. Where would you like to go?"

Anne looked slightly taken aback at the years he had just skipped through. The Cooper had temporarily put off all discussions of their future, and she gave a little smile, as she imagined them going away together. "Big or small holidays?"

Gilbert shrugged, watching her face. "Either."

Anne smiled. "Well, I would like to see a little more of the Island. Di told me wonderful stories of some trips her family used to take to the eastern side near Priest Pond, and Jane always raved about Tyne Valley, where her Uncle lived." She turned to look at him then with a twinkle in her eye. "Speaking of Jane, dearest, have you heard that Jane has met someone?"

Gilbert's grin was huge. "Really?"

"Apparently a Mr Inglis has won her heart, and Diana says that apparently, he is fabulously wealthy." Anne's eyes were sparkling. "Di wrote that Jane is very careful in her wording, but reading between the lines, she seems to be very happy indeed. She's coming home in a month accompanied by Mr Inglis, so Di predicts there will be a wedding in mid-June."

"Good for her," Gilbert said, with a chuckle. "And poor Charlie. When she was six years old she told him she would marry _him_."

Anne began to laugh. "Oh, I think Charlie has moved on since then. When was this?"

"On her first day of school, I think. Charlie was horrified, and I used to take great pleasure in reminding them of it all the time as we grew up."

"Trust you for that, beloved." Anne commented wryly.

"So _other_ parts of the Island- I'll have to take you to see the Glen one day- where Uncle Dave is from. Four Winds is lovely, it's a real ocean-side town." Gilbert said with a sigh.

Anne sat up to look at him then. "Avonlea is by the sea, Gil-"

"Not in the same way, it isn't. You'll see."

Gilbert stretched then, with a jaw-popping yawn. "I think we need a walk. After the concert last night, I'll go to sleep if we stay here much longer."

He let Anne slide off his lap then, and the two of them stood to face each other. Gilbert drew her close to him with a big smile. "Thank you for this weekend, Anne. It's been amazing."

Anne looked up at him with twinkling eyes. "We're not done yet, dearest. We still have exams, convocation, and then the society wedding of the year- with ringside seats, apparently. Did you send your measurements to Mrs Gordon?"

His eyes rolled. "I did. Mrs Saunders insisted on taking them twice, she thought I couldn't do it well enough on my own. And I still feel like I should pay for the suit."

Anne took his hand as they walked to the front door. "I know, however you know Mr Gordon won't hear a word of it. All of our dresses are being paid for as well. And think of it Gil, you'll have a new suit ready for all of those formal events you will need to attend next year."

Gilbert's eyes brightened. "That's true," he said philosophically, and then grinned. "Trust you to find the silver lining, sweetheart."

The afternoon was spent rambling along the shore, watching the great steamers head across the bay to the little port. Anne watched Gilbert with satisfaction, seeing him with more energy than he had had in months. As he waded out into the shallows, his shoes and socks in a neat pile beside her on a patch of grass, Anne realised with a little smile what loving someone meant. It meant that their pain became your own- that anything Gilbert suffered would affect her, and always would. Love came at a price- and one she was more than willing to pay. She smiled at the sight he made- his grey suit pants and shirtsleeves rolled up, curls windblown by the cool ocean breeze. He stood looking out to the horizon with a far-off gaze, his hands on his hips.

It was with a little blush that Anne's gaze dropped, remembering the first time the two of them had visited the shore together. The awkwardness of the fledgeling friendship had rendered her uncommonly speechless on the walk, and she had never before seen the tall, confident Gilbert Blythe so silent. Just before the sixteen-and-a-half-year-old Anne had given up on the trip in disgust, Gilbert had dared her to cross over the rock pools with him, newly filled after the tide had gone out. In the excitement of chasing little rock-crabs and peering at the fish in clear pools, Anne forgot her earlier discomfort, and to her delight had found Gilbert to be a wonderful companion. Rather than the awkward standoffish-ness of the average Avonlea boy, Gilbert had merely expected her to keep up with him as he leapt and climbed over the rocks with a freedom that Anne found exhilarating. While they traversed the rocky shore, Anne found herself talking with him openly about her life at Green Gables, and he talked to her about his own history. There had only been one uncomfortable moment- Anne herself had nearly slipped off a rock, and Gilbert had caught her before she could tumble into the churning water. To her shock she had found herself in his arms, her heart pounding in a way that was surely not healthy. She had been less than gracious to him in the moment, unaccountably feeling like their trip had been spoiled. Gilbert hadn't appeared to mind, and he suggested that they return home again, commenting on the clouds over the horizon. As Anne sat watching him now in the present, she couldn't suppress a smile. _She_ could tell young Anne what that odd feeling meant; and it was one that an older, wiser Anne found irresistible.

She was startled when he dropped to his knees in front of her, a big grin on his face. The wind had picked up now, and as she laughingly tried to stop her hair from blinding her, she was distracted by his hands on her face, smoothing the red curls out of her way. His lips captured her own insistently then, and as he lowered her to the ground with him, she could only think with a throaty chuckle that they _really_ should have done this years ago.

* * *

It was nearly seven o-clock when the first of the travellers arrived. Jo brought the irrepressible Phil home in the new buggy his parish had supplied. The irrepressible Phil, in reality, looked quite flat, and she fell into Anne's arms with thankfulness.

"Honey, elope. Just _elope_ ," she said with a groan, in place of a greeting.

Gilbert gave Jo a hand with her bags, dropping them at the foot of the stairs. Jo rolled his eyes at him and grinned. "It's too late for us, but you and Anne could think about it," he muttered, making Gilbert laugh.

Anne had settled Phil in the lounge room and was pouring some tea for her exhausted friend.

"And how was your mother this time?" Anne asked, with a smile.

She had been most curious to meet the mother of the indecisive Phil, and Maureen Gordon had surprised even Anne. A courteous host and capable mother and wife, who would suddenly swing into aggressive action whenever greater society was involved. Anne had seen that on her visit to Mount Holly and had a fair idea of the way a wedding would place a strain on the delicate balance between mother and daughter.

"Mother is insisting on black suits for the wedding, despite the fact that it's a morning wedding," Phil said crossly. "They may as well be tuxedos, now. But she had that look in her eye, and I could see that Dad wouldn't be able to convince her. The reception venue is a dream though, and she is 'letting' me choose the flowers that you will all carry. I was able to pick from two selections- pink roses, or blush-coloured roses." she said dryly. "How _will_ I choose?"

Anne handed her the plate of sandwiches she had prepared with a grin. "Isn't 'blush' technically a pink rose, dear?"

Phil snorted. "Oh, it is. It's just a little paler. No matter, they are both pretty, I suppose. And as long as I get to walk out of the church with Jo- Mother is insisting on a church wedding, by the way, not home as I asked for- then I will submit to the rest. Oh, Anne, Mother sent your dress with me, by the way. She wants you to try it on, and see how it fits."

Anne was mildly startled by this. "But I only sent the measurements through ten days ago, Phil. Surely that isn't enough time?"

Phil slipped down the lounge with a groan. "I know. But it's here. Mother is coming by next week with Priss and Stella's to check them herself, she will check yours then."

She grabbed Anne's shoulders, dramatically imploring her. "Just promise me that your wedding will be just what you want, Queen Anne- I'll come and enjoy your lovely one vicariously." Anne chuckled, as Gilbert and Jonas came to sit with their fiancees. Phil continued to talk comfortably as if the two of them were still alone.

"So what _do_ you want for a wedding, Anne?" Phil asked.

Anne looked at Gilbert with wide eyes and pink cheeks. They hadn't even discussed this yet together; College and an uncertain future had overshadowed the wedding that would happen someday. Gilbert had a little smile on his face, and he gave her a little nod to go ahead.

"Well-" she said slowly, "I want it to be at home, in Avonlea. At Green Gables, of course." She turned to Gilbert with a little smile. "I always thought the orchard would be lovely. Setting up chairs outside, if the weather is warm."

Gilbert grinned. "Well, as I will finish medical school in June, and I don't plan on waiting longer than a month or two after that, the weather should be warm enough."

Anne turned back to Phil with twinkling eyes. "And I won't be able to have you or Diana as a bridesmaid, so that leaves me with Priss and Stella- if they don't get there first too." She sighed contentedly. "But even if you are all married first, I will still be surrounded by those I love, so I'm happy; bridesmaids or not."

Gilbert turned to her then, picturing her with a smile in a perfect, white gown. "A big or small wedding?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

Anne gave a little chuckle. "Small, I think. I don't really want all of the Pyes and Sloanes to be there, I can just imagine Josie telling me that I look unwell coming down the aisle."

"Charlie should be there, though." Gilbert reminded her.

"Of course, and most likely with Nicole. And Moody."

Phil pricked up her ears. "Wait, would that girl really say that to you, Anne?" she asked curiously, and Anne and Gilbert began to laugh.

"Yes, I believe she would. No Josie." Gilbert said firmly. "We'll only have people we care about at the wedding. The rest can just stay away."

Phil sat up then, the socialite inside her slightly scandalised. "Gilbert, you can't do _that_."

He smiled smugly. "You mean _you_ can't. _We_ can."

Jo laughed as Phil threw a cushion at Gilbert, who expertly ducked the missile.

"Anyway, that's as much as we can plan this far ahead. And the two of you had better be coming to the Island for it in three years time," he said lazily.

"Oh, we'll be there," Phil said comfortably. "I'm sure the parish can survive a weekend away from us by then."

It was just after nine-o-clock when Gilbert reluctantly stood to leave. Jo had offered to drop Gilbert back to his residence, and he sighed, knowing an early night was only sensible. An early class was awaiting him, and he knew that Anne had a meeting with Professor Trelor in the morning.

Anne walked him out to the gate to say goodbye, leaving Phil and Jo inside alone for a minute.

Gilbert leaned against the gate, pulling her close to him.

"It's been a big weekend," he said, with a roguish grin, even in the darkness seeing her colour. "I was thinking, Anne- do you suppose, while I'm staying in Kingsport- do you suppose you could come and visit me here over the next three Easters?" he asked lightly. "I'm sure Phil would love to have you stay each year."

Anne's arms curled around his neck, and she smiled. "It can be _our_ holiday. Avonlea can have us at all the other times," she said with a contented sigh and looked at him lovingly. "And what of the Easter after that?"

His hands ran up and down her arms, the filmy sleeves of the dress she wore allowing him to feel the warmth of her skin. "Well, I have no exact plans for that," he said, his voice low. "Although I think my wife and I will find a way to keep ourselves occupied, don't you agree?"

Anne gave a little shiver, with a big smile on her face. "I do." She whispered and kissed him softly.

Gilbert placed his forehead against hers, seeing that Phil and Jonas were in the doorway, similarly occupied. "Anne, the next few weeks-" he began, reluctantly.

Anne shook her head determinedly, her eyes fixed on his. "We will do what we need to, to finish, Gil; it's alright. It's nearly over. I'll do what I can to help you, and you take whatever time you need. Is that clear?"

Gilbert's shoulders dropped in relief. He should have known she would understand what he wasn't saying. Exams would start the following Monday, and he needed to focus on that. He was sure he had done it, sure that he was prepared enough. But it wouldn't do to back off now when so much was at stake. He bent his head to kiss her soundly, breaking off abruptly at Phil's voice.

"Well _really_ ," she said, amused. "And you two had to do this out here?"

Gilbert's eyes narrowed in jest. "Well someone else was saying goodbye in the lounge room. Did _you_ fancy company, Phil?" he asked impertinently.

Jo rolled his eyes at the pair of them and gave Anne a sheepish smile as he passed her. She reached up to kiss Gilbert as his arm came around her waist.

"I had a wonderful time, Carrots," he whispered close to her ear, loving the blush he could see on her cheeks in the moonlight. He winked at her then and stepped away to join Jo in the buggy. The two girls stood to wave the gentlemen off, and a chattering Phil tucked her arm in Anne's to return inside.

* * *

It seemed only a few minutes later that the cab from the train station arrived at Patty's Place, and the house was soon a bustling hive of activity, as the coach driver carried in suitcases and hatboxes. Aunt Jimsie was soon hustling the girls towards their bedrooms, and within an hour, all was relatively quiet. Anne had just climbed into her bed with a yawn when her door opened, and several girls in nightgowns came into the dark room to perch on her bed. Anne looked at them in bewilderment, until she caught Priss' barely controlled glee and Phil's knowing look.

"Out with it Anne, how much time did you spend with Gilbert here while we were gone?" Priscilla asked excitedly.

Anne fought to keep her face neutral. "Oh. Well, we spent some time here together, yes. He came with me to church, and to the Walton-Smith's too. Did you know that Gilbert had met our neighbour once at a reception for the Science Faculty?" she asked, her voice sounding mildly interested.

Stella paused and raised one eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you telling me that was _it_? I thought he would have been here with you every second of the day!"

Anne managed to look surprised at that comment. "Well, he did warn me that he would be busy, and I certainly understood. We were able to get some studying done this afternoon, and I finished that essay for Professor Palmer three days early."

A look of horror crossed Priscilla's face. "Goodness, I'd forgotten about that! Stella, is yours done?"

"I was away as well!" she said indignantly. "Oh, well, that does it. I'm not going to the meeting tomorrow night if I don't get it done, so I'd better head to bed." She turned to Anne with a slight smile. "Well, hopefully, you'll get a bit more of Gilbert's attention when all this is over," Stella said philosophically before she followed Priss out of the door. Phil rose as well, only to close it behind the girls, and look at Anne smugly. Anne looked at her in surprise, until Phil ran to jump onto the bed with her, her brown curls bouncing wildly.

"So what _really_ happened?" she asked, her eyes glittering.

Anne's opened her mouth in supposed offence, and stopped when she saw Phil fold her arms with a huge grin. "I _saw_ what you did there, Anne. You needn't bother with the deflection tactics honey, you _know_ it won't work with me. How _much_ was he here?"

Anne's face broke into a smile, and she hid her face in a pillow for a moment. "Morning till night, most of the time," she admitted sheepishly, her cheeks heating.

"With the way you two look at each other, Anne, I _knew_ you couldn't be that boring! Was everything alright, did it get awkward?" she asked eagerly.

Anne sat up cross-legged in bed, with rapidly heating cheeks. "It was _wonderful_ ," she admitted shyly. "If I didn't know before now how well suited we are to each other, I'd be thoroughly convinced after this weekend. I can't imagine anyone who is better company than Gil." She reached out a hand to shush Phil's squeal. "I- I think it was a small glimpse of what it will be like to be married to him," she said with a dreamy smile that she couldn't suppress.

Phil fell onto Anne's pillow with a happy sigh, clutching Anne's hand. "You are so lucky," she said wistfully. "I spent several days with my mother, watching Jo being measured up and lectured at, and making decisions that I don't actually get to make for a wedding that my parents want."

Anne looked over at her with a genuine smile. "Ah, but in just a few weeks, you will become Mrs Blake at that wedding, and get to start your life with him that very day."

"True."

Anne squeezed her hand then, and Phil suddenly turned to her. "Now, you _have_ to tell me, while we were away, did things between the two of you get- interesting?" Phil asked, her brown eyes twinkling in the light from the window.

She covered her face with a slim hand, and Phil burst into laughter. "That looks promising. Now _do_ confess, there's a dear girl."

Anne looked at her friend with a wry smile. "I will say this," she said drolly. "A little chaperoning never hurt anyone."


	17. Chapter 17, Doorway to the Future

**Chapter 17**

Gilbert Blythe sat on his bed, at six in the morning on Monday the eighth of May, fully dressed. Unconsciously he bounced his leg, as he looked out through the lead-lined windows of his second story room. The day was going to be warm, and he could already hear the call of the milkman and baker making their way through the streets.

Willing himself to find calm, Gilbert stood and moved to the window. He barely saw the scene before him, so engrossed was he in the task he had ahead. Two weeks: eight exams, four assessments and two supposedly brilliant speeches to write for the graduating class and on behalf of the outgoing student body president. He gave a little smile, knowing that Anne would assist him with the last two. She had always worked on speeches with him prior to his proposal, and he had never felt quite right doing one without her.

With a quick look at the watch his father had given him, he decided that it was late enough now. He shouldered his satchel, ready to face the day. Mrs Saunders would have a paper bag with a sandwich in it ready for him as he had requested, in deference to her need to feed him before he left; and Mrs Falson was coming in early to open the library for him to work before the first exam. He chuckled as he closed the door to his room quietly. Anne had only commented on his ability to wrap people around his little finger the other day, and he grinned as he had then. It was only fitting that the only girl whom that had never worked on was the one he was destined fall in love with.

* * *

Three hours later, he stood outside of the examination hall, nervously pacing. His classmates stood in little groups talking, however Gilbert kept to himself. The first of the English exams was on the other side of the courtyard- and she would be there soon. He turned away from the amphitheatre with a little smile.

"So, Blythe. First exam." A sharp voice said, interrupting his musing. He turned to see Andrew Steele, standing by him with a shrewd look in his eyes. Gilbert gave him an odd glance. Andrew had engaged him in conversation a few times, however he wasn't convinced that it was entirely friendly. He'd shrugged, not bothered. Not everyone would be.

"Yeah. First exam."

Andrew's face tightened, looking at his main competition for the Cooper. Blythe was good, he had to admit. Still, he had his weaknesses- and most notably the elusive red-head. She'd frozen him out in their sophomore year, a slight he had not apppreciated. He looked across at the courtyard to see her standing in conversation with another familiar figure, and gave a sly grin.

"So what's going on with Roy Gardner and your girl?" he said with barely suppressed enjoyment. "Or should that be the other way around?"

Gilbert was undisturbed. "I don't really think that's your concern, is it?"

Andrew feigned a look of surprise. "Certainly not. It is- _strange_ though. In my own humble opinion."

Gilbert smiled. "Well, luckily for me, your 'opinion' isn't one I'm concerned about." he said lightly. He sat down on the low stone wall then, and pulled out his notes to look over again.

"I just mean that if it were me, I'd be worried about _that_." Andrew said with a careful nonchalance, pointing towards the English students standing waiting.

Gilbert looked up, breaking into a smile at the sight of Anne standing and talking animatedly to Roy. She was wearing a green dress he particularly liked, and his eyes lit up when she caught his eye across the distance. She waved at him then with a big smile, just before she was ushered in through the doors by the professor. Gilbert put his notes down with a private grin. He knew just what she would say to him right now, to put his notes away and breathe. And so he would.

Andrew was still watching him carefully as he packed the notes back in his bag, and Gilbert gave him a calculating look.

"You know Steele, if you're trying to rattle me, you need better ammunition." he said evenly. To his surprise, there was no look of shame on the other man's face, no sign that he cared about being caught out. He grinned.

"Can't have you in top form now, can we? Then none of us would have a shot. And I've got a lot riding on this."

"Really." Gilbert commented in a dry tone.

"Yes, really." he said lazily. "Dad's taking me to Europe if I win it. Plus, don't doctors get all the nurses?" he said with an uncharitable grin.

Gilbert stood up then, a look of disgust on his face. "So that's why you're doing this?"

"Look, Blythe, not everyone gets things handed to them on a platter." Andrew said, with folded arms. "And you're not the only one with brains around here, so you can stop acting like it."

"So rather than work at it, you'll settle for trying to disturb everyone else." Gilbert stopped then, and turned to him, suddenly suspicious. "Just what did you say to Dennis Talbot?"

"Who says I said anything to him?" Andrew bridled. "If he couldn't keep up, it's his own problem."

Gilbert shook his head then, gathering his belongings. "You are unbelievable." He looked at him, incensed. "I would rather lose the Cooper and keep my self respect, than win by manipulating."

Andrew smiled. "The end justifies the means, Blythe. I just hope you're not too- _upset_ to perform well in the exam today."

Gilbert watched him walk in through the doors, and gritted his teeth. He didn't need any more motivation to work for the top position, he had enough determination on his own. But if winning meant wiping the uncharitable smirk off Steele's face, then he would do it with even more pleasure.

* * *

After lunch, Gilbert lay on the grass just outside the dining hall, his head in his fiancee's lap.

"I think it went alright, I'd pretty well managed to predict what they'd be asking." he said, closing his eyes briefly in the sunlight. "How did your exam go?"

Anne looked out at the other students littering the lawns in various states of relaxation, and sighed. "I think quite well. Professor Trelor likes to give his classes as much warning about the nature of the paper as he can. I only hope Roy does well."

"He'll be fine, won't he?" Gilbert said comfortably. "You're his tutor."

Anne laughed at that. "It's a bit unfair, really. These are the final exams of me as a student, and yet I am to get get tested as a teacher by them as well?"

Gilbert caught the hand that was playing with his brown curls idly. "You'll come through well, you always do." He grinned then. "And don't you remember what was happening in the last exams? Someone was finding out that she loved someone, I believe?" he teased.

Anne's face went pink, and she chuckled. "Yes, that was challenging, to say the least. Although I did do rather poorly in one of the psychology papers then, Freud's recent research into repressed memories was rather hauntingly apt."

Gilbert smiled up at her, shifting his head against her thigh. "You repressed memories of me?" he teased.

"Yes. Until they all came bubbling back up then." she said, her voice dry. "I'm only grateful that the uncertainty with you lasted for such a short time."

"Half your luck." he muttered.

Anne swatted him then, with a little smile. "Well, you would fall in love with me, dearest; that comes with some complications. I'm sure Freud could tell you that."

"I'm not exactly on speaking terms with him, sweetheart."

Anne looked thoughtfully towards the park with a big sigh. "Do you really think Andrew said something to Dennis?" she asked slowly.

Gilbert grunted. "I don't know. If he did it was a rotten thing to do. He pulled out a week ago, according to Professor Fredrickson. He just said the pressure was getting to him, and he looked like a shadow of himself when I saw him last." Gilbert looked up at her, giving her hand a little squeeze. "You stopped _me_ from doing that." he said reluctantly. "I was probably heading that way myself."

Anne leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "You're stronger than that, Gil. You would have been fine."

He covered his face then, exhausted. "I'm not much better than Steele. Secretly I was relieved to hear that there was one less person in the running."

Anne frowned at him then. "It's not the same, you know that. And you'd never do anything so dishonourable."

"Wouldn't I?" he asked flatly. "I'm not so sure. And I could have flattened Steele when I was talking to him this morning."

Anne tucked her legs underneath her, moving his head until it lay in her lap again.

"That's not like you, dearest." she said softly. "You're a little out of sorts today."

He scowled then, not admitting how much he loved being pampered by her when he was cross. He didn't feel the best, it had been an early morning and he was thinking longingly of bed.

"Did you want to work together this afternoon?" she asked him.

Gilbert hesitated, not wanting to say no. "Actually, I don't feel all that well." he admitted.

Anne frowned, running her hands over his forehead, moving aside his hair. "You do feel a little warm, Gil."

"Charlie's had a cold all week, and he kept sneezing on me when we were working in the evenings. Sloanes have no sense of personal space." he grumbled, burying his face into the folds of her skirt. She petted and soothed him with a little smile on her face. It was rare that she had a chance to see him like this, and she loved that he would lower his defenses to her this way. Gilbert Blythe, always cheerful, always practical with a ready smile on his face- grumpy because of a cold. It was then that a little comment that Cora Blythe had once made about how much he had always hated to be sick came to mind, and Anne pressed a kiss to the back of his brown head.

"Come on, Gil. I'll walk you home, and Mrs Saunders can take you from there."

"I'd much rather _you_ do it."

Anne laughed, standing to gather her belongings. She pulled him to his feet, placing an arm around his waist. "All in good time, my love. For now, let's get you home."

* * *

On Friday morning Anne sat at the breakfast table over a sheaf of letters. Her teacup lay abandoned, as she stared at the closely written pages before her. It was time to make a decision, and she was nowhere near doing that yet. Four schools of the schools she had applied for had written back, and the answers lay on the table now.

Stella was the only other person at the table with her, and she looked at Anne carefully.

"You've heard back?"

Anne nodded. "I was hoping for a bit more time." she said slowly.

Stella gave a little sigh. "I don't think we have much more of that."

"No."

Stella watched her sift through the papers. "What does Gilbert say?"

Anne threw them down on the table with a frown. "Nothing. I haven't told him yet." she said softly, bringing a frown to Stella's face.

"But you tell each other _everything_. It's completely sickening."

A wadded up napkin came flying from Anne's hand at her friend of seven years, and Stella burst out laughing as she dodged it.

"But seriously, Anne, why _haven't_ you yet?"

Anne folded her arms, her eyes on the trees blowing outside, more blossoms falling from the trees. "I don't know." she said, at last. "He would only tell me to make the right decision for me, but I don't know what that is. And I think I need to make this decision on my own." She caught Stella's concerned look, and smiled wryly. "It's complicated, I suppose. I have to make these decisions for what I will do for at least the next three years. I am engaged to the man that I love, but we will be living completely separate lives during that time."

"Weren't you going to try and stay? Wasn't there a school in Kingsport-?" Stella asked, halting when she saw the tears come to Anne's eyes.

"They said no." she said unsteadily. "I heard back from them yesterday. They selected a Josiah Pringle instead, who completed his degree two years ago." She gave a tortured smile. "I was one of the main contenders for the position though. They said that they were very impressed with my application."

Stella's eyes showed her regret. "I'm so sorry Anne. I know that you wanted to stay."

Her breath shuddered, and she let it out slowly. "I didn't tell Gil about that one, I didn't want to get his hopes up. It's bad enough that I did." She pushed her chair back from the table with a troubled look, her hands clasped together tightly. "Stella, I've been learning what it is to rely on someone else this year, to have my happiness depend on someone apart from myself." she said with a twisted smile. "Almost for the first time in my life. And I can't- I can't live far from Gilbert and have him worried about me, he will have enough to do. I have to be able to stand on my own two feet again."

Stella nodded. "So you wanted to go to him with a decision already made."

Anne gave a painful laugh. "Yes, but I can't make it. And I think this has to come from me, or I won't know any peace in us being apart. I have to be in whatever place I am because _I_ choose it, or I will only resent it as the time goes by."

Stella reached across the table with an understanding smile. "I think you're right." she said reluctantly. "But you know it's only for a season. And you know he will support you no matter what you decide; he fell in love with the independent Anne."

Anne's eyes closed against more tears. "But I don't want to be her right now." she whispered, trying to smile.

"I can see that." Stella's eyes stung as well. She didn't often show her emotions, something the others often teased her for. She gave her friend a little smile, knowing that Anne had chosen to talk to her about this for a reason. "Well. For this season, we must be practical. Wherever you go, you will need adequate mail facilities, so that you can exchange highly inappropriate letters with each other daily. I am assuming they will be inappropriate, you _are_ the master of language after all." she said drolly, making Anne laugh. "You'll need a direct train line to go through it for easy visits, and a nice pay packet will allow you to fill your hope chest with lovely things. Do any of these schools answer that brief?"

Anne chuckled, wiping her eyes. "Well, that rules out the Yukon. Two of them are in PEI, and another is in Ontario."

Stella looked at her, amazed. "The Yukon? You considered the Yukon?"

"No, not really. The other was in Toronto." Anne said with a little grin.

Stella played with a pair of sugar tongs on the table thoughtfully.

"So you'll be closer to Gilbert on the Island. And closer to home, too." she commented.

Anne nodded. "Summerside offered me the position of Principal. Alberton are only looking for an English teacher." she said with a little sigh.

Stella sat up quickly at that. "Then that's the one to take, Anne. Summerside. It's a train ride away from Avonlea and Charlottetown, and the prestige of being offered that isn't insignificant."

Anne nodded. "I know. I suppose I just needed to hear back from the Kingsport Academy before I could decide."

Stella gave her a small smile. "Write back and take the job today, Anne. And you should be incredibly proud of yourself. I know Gilbert will be."

Anne sighed, after shifting the Summerside letter to the top.

"And what of you, Stella?"

Stella handed Anne a letter from her own pile, that Aunt Jimsie had thoughtfully left by her plate. Anne opened it wonderingly, and gasped. "You're considering Vancouver?"

Stella nodded, with a smile. "Father has family there, you know. And I wanted to see something different- after being in Kingsport for four years, it's made me realise how much of Canada I want to see- I always wanted bigger than the Island." she said easily. "Although you may be sure that I will return in time to see you become Mrs Gilbert Blythe."

Anne's cheeks flushed, and she smiled. "Just see that you do. I would miss you terribly- I _will_ miss you terribly. And Phil and Jo will be here in Kingsport, Gil will be happy about that; and Priss-" here she stopped, looking enquiringly at Stella.

Stella's grin was devilish. "I'm not sure what the future holds, but I _do_ know that Priscilla got another letter from Japan this week. A lovely fat one that she has said absolutely nothing about."

Anne laughed. "Well, good. Mr Stevens should be back in just a few weeks now, so we will see what happens at the wedding."

* * *

A few hours later, Anne arrived at Gilbert's boarding house to check on him, to be ushered in by a talkative Mrs Saunders. Anne followed her to the little study, where Gilbert was working, and couldn't repress a smile. He was wrapped up with a blanket and a cold mug of tea beside him, with several open textbooks in front. His head was resting on his notebook, and it was with a start that he woke up, and recognised the girl beside him.

"Anne-" he rasped. "I wasn't asleep."

She choked back a giggle, and he leaned against her side as she came near the desk. He'd completed two assessments and an exam in this state, and luckily had until Monday before the next one. She knelt down beside him, checking his temperature with gentle hands. He felt much cooler now, and she supposed that he was coming to the end of what appeared to be just a cold.

"Dearest, can you please sit up for me?" she asked.

Gilbert did so, grimacing when she pulled the blanket off him. She pulled him away from the desk, and pressed her ear to his chest.

"Just breathe in and out, Gil."

Gilbert's cheeks flushed, and he found his pulse becoming more erratic at her closeness. She looked at him then with an amused smile. "I'm checking something, just calm your breathing down." He chuckled then.

"How can I help it? Look where you are."

Anne rolled her eyes, and put her head back to his chest to listen for a minute. "Your chest sounds clear, I just wanted to make sure you weren't worsening for something."

"I could have told you that. And how did you know how to do that?" he said, coughing with a slight groan.

Anne wrapped the blanket back around him with a kiss on the top of his head. "When there are more than eight children in a house, they get sick quite often. There was the eldest boy, myself and three sets of twins." she said lightly. "If a child got severely ill and I didn't tell them, I would get into trouble. And if I had them call a doctor when a child wasn't really sick, then I would get into trouble." She grinned at him, stroking his cheek with one hand. "I became very good at assessing minor illnesses."

"I'm fine." he said, with a look that intended to be adoring. In reality it was spoiled by a coughing fit and the sound of him blowing his nose.

Anne chuckled. "Gil, sweetheart, just go to bed."

He sat up and shook his head. "I'm fine." (cough) "And I'm meeting with Timothy this afternoon."

Anne's lips tightened. "No, you're not, Gil. You're not well enough to do that."

"Anne, don't be silly-"

"Don't you give me 'silly', Gilbert Blythe." she said crossly. "You need to not be spreading your germs, the last thing their young family needs is sickness."

Gilbert sighed. "But I've had to cancel on him twice now, and his exams are coming up in a week."

Anne shook her head. "I already told you I would go, remember? Who is trying to do everything on his own again?"

He frowned at her. "It's not a nice part of town; he can't come here right now, so I said I'd go there."

Anne looked at him evenly. "Do you remember what I grew up with? I can assure you, I have seen tenement buildings. I've lived in them."

"It doesn't mean I want you there." he grumbled.

Anne placed her hands on his cheeks, rubbing the stubble on his jawline tenderly. "Darling, you are being ridiculous. I'll be fine, and Timothy will get the support he needs- as long as he doesn't need anything mathematical."

Gilbert coughed, leaning his head against her. "Not now, he doesn't. He could use some essay work with you, though."

Mrs Saunders came bustling into the room, with a steaming pot of tea, and a plate of sandwiches. "Well, I'm glad you listen to _someone_." she puffed. "He's been impossible, Miss Shirley."

Anne smiled warmly. "Please, call me Anne. And according to Mrs Blythe, this is fairly normal for him."

Gilbert raised his head with a glare at his fiancee, who smiled angelically. " _What_ , Gil? I need to know how to care for you, don't I? Who better to instruct me than your mother?"

He sighed, unable to stop a grudging smile coming to his face. He watched Mrs Saunders leave the room, and leant in to hold her close. "Just remember who will be caring for _you_ , Miss Shirley." he said, in a low, hoarse tone, that even in his current state Anne found irresistible.

Her smile was huge at that comment. "I'll remember that, Doctor Blythe."


	18. Chapter 18, Last Hurdles

**Chapter 18**

By Sunday Gilbert had recovered enough to enjoy their usual pursuits, and the afternoon found them both in the orchard on a blanket in the sunshine, with letters from home all around them. He had flatly refused to wear the scarf that Anne had dug out for him in her concern, his own that she had never returned. Gilbert had only winked at her, saying that hers would be accompanying him to medical school, and his may as well remain in her safe-keeping as well.

Anne was attempting to read Gilbert Diana's latest letter, but was having trouble maintaining a straight face. Gilbert could only laugh at Anne's attempt to sober up.

"You could just let me read it, you know." he said drolly.

Anne wiped the tears from her face and giggled again. "I'm not sure she would like that, pregnancy appears to be acting on darling Di as a potion of truth- she is alarmingly candid in some parts."

He grinned at her red face. "I thought I'd heard everything about pregnancy by now."

Anne choked. "You haven't heard this." She took a deep breath and looked to where Gilbert was stretched out beside her. "I- er- Gil, you know that girls like to tell each other everything, don't you?" she said hesitantly.

Gilbert looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Well, I suspected something of that nature…. Wait- really? _Everything_?" he asked.

Anne smiled. "Almost everything. When- well, when I last wrote to Di I told her about some of the things you and I discussed over Easter." At his startled look, she shook her head. "I just wanted an outside perspective- and I had a feeling it was actually what Di tried to talk to me about at Christmas."

Gilbert sat up then, a little flushed himself. "Oh."

"She mentioned how close you and I were- er, _physically_ , and then appeared to change the conversation. In hindsight, I realised she might have wanted to talk to me about it more, so when I had questions, I wrote to her about it." Anne looked out into the afternoon sky with a little smile. Di's letter had been wonderful- so lighthearted and funny, and she had lovingly reminded Anne that of course the subject of intimacy was bound to come up. She had never spoken to anyone about Mrs Hammond's hurtful words before, and Diana's righteous indignation had soothed and removed the sting from them, as much as Gilbert's gentleness and love had comforted her.

"At Christmas, she wondered if you and I had talked about any of this, but she didn't know how to broach the subject, so she left it. She wrote that she knew exactly where we were coming from and had some good, sensible advice. And as you said, she and Fred had an engagement almost as long as ours will be, and I _do_ find that comforting."

Gilbert took her hand, with a wry smile. "Yes, but they aren't _exactly_ like us. They didn't have our history, and they certainly weren't the best friends that we were."

Anne smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Oh, they are now, Gil; I can hear it in the way she speaks about Fred. He's completely her soul-mate and best friend. I suppose you and I were just- a few steps ahead. As usual." she said candidly.

He smiled, and kissed her forehead.

"So what did Di say then?"

He could hear her voice begin to shake. "Well, much as you said to me- I believe they had some 'near misses'."

Gilbert grinned. "Yes, but Fred never specified what happened."

At this Anne fell apart laughing again, and it was several moments before she could speak. "Oh but Gil, Di _did_."

Gilbert's eyes were huge. "You're _kidding_ me. She told you about them?"

Tears were streaming down her face again, and she looked at him, her grey eyes dancing. "Yes. In some detail. Are you sure you want to read it now?"

He gave her a sly grin and took it from her. He started to read the page, and as expected he began to laugh as well. Anne wiped her eyes, giving Gilbert a glass of water from the bottle beside them when he had a fit of coughing after a particularly descriptive sentence.

"Good grief, you really meant everything." he wheezed in shock, and Anne giggled. "May I ask if you were this candid with her, Miss Shirley?"

Anne shook her head, her eyes brimming with laughter. "Gil, I have almost as much schoolwork as you do- I don't really have the time that she does to go into such detail! Of course, in the summertime I might have more time…." she trailed expectantly.

"I'd better behave myself from now on." he said with a chuckle, and passed her back the page. "And thanks to Di, I'll never see that field in the same way again." He then turned to her with an intrigued look on his face.

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"That you and I are a normal couple in love?" Anne said with a twinkling smile.

"Yeees- but also that we barely got up to anything." he said dryly.

Anne hid her face in her hands with a little moan, and he gave her a long, loving look before gently pulling them away from her cheeks. "Sweetheart, I'm only teasing. If you'd rather not discuss it, we won't." To his surprise then, Anne launched herself onto his lap, her arms wound tightly around his neck.

"Hey now, what is it?" he whispered to her, stroking her back. She pulled away from him, with a beautiful blush staining her cheeks. She looked into his eyes, before kissing him in a way that temporarily wiped all conscious thought from his mind. After a few minutes, he took in a deep breath, with a little chuckle, and shook his head.

"You know, even after all this time, I still can't ever predict exactly what you're going to do."

She leant forward again to caress his lips tenderly with her own. At his sigh, she smiled. "It's just as well." she said to him softly. "You'd be terribly bored if you could."

* * *

That evening, the girls all walked to the church for a special concert, in aid of visiting missionaries in town. Anne was looking forward to an evening out, tired after a week of intense study. She and Gilbert loitered along after the others, talking quietly.

"Has Mrs Saunders stopped clucking over you yet?" Anne asked him with a grin, knowing how much he hated being fussed over. She laughed then, seeing the grimace on his face.

"She force-fed me ginger tea this morning. I couldn't see what good _that_ would do, so I tipped it into a pot plant when she wasn't looking." he said with a shrug that made her laugh.

"You know, I'm starting to see what you must have been like as a teenager, Gil."

"I was an angel. Ask my mother." Gilbert turned to her then, after a sudden thought. "Speaking of teenagers, how did you go with Timothy?"

Anne looked at him, surprised. "Oh! I forgot to tell you about that."

"You forgot?"

Anne's cheeks were pink, but she made answer cheekily. "You and I were occupied with other things earlier today, remember?"

He laughed and put his arm around her waist. "Fair enough. How did you go with him?"

Anne smiled. "You were right, he's a sweetheart."

"I don't remember saying that." he commented, with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well, he is. And I think you're right, he should do very well in the exams. We worked on his English paper, and I took a look at his essays as you suggested."

Gilbert looked at Anne proudly. "You know, it's a shame we'll never teach school together, I think we'd make an excellent team."

"Well, we'll get to teach our children together. They'll be quite exceptional, don't you think?" she said brightly.

Gilbert laughed. "Of course they will be, they'll be ours. How did you find Timothy's family?"

Anne gave him a warm smile. "There's a reason he's lovely, Gil. The children were so well behaved, and were such dears- his Aunt Amelia thawed out a little, we sat and had tea after Timothy left on an errand. She's been worrying about him, in her own quiet way." Anne commented. "I told her our stories, Gil. It's just what she wants for him- a chance for him to chase his ambitions, even if seems unlikely at times."

Gilbert nodded. "Ours definitely looked like that," he said, thoughtfully. "And look at us now, two short weeks from our graduation!"

"Well, Timothy's teacher has said he has improved immensely, and she is very pleased. You did a wonderful thing for him, Gil."

He gave her a serious look. "It's nothing Miss Stacey didn't do for us with the extra classes she gave us."

"I know. I only hope I can help my students as much."

Gilbert sighed. "In Summerside."

Anne's look was wistful, and she pulled herself in close to him. "I'm sorry it couldn't be closer."

He was silent for a few moments and then gave her a half smile. "It's as close as we can be for now, Anne-girl, and a lot closer than any of the other options. I'll be grateful for that." He suddenly chuckled. "Heavens, we are grown up! I'm engaged to a High School Principal!"

"When they receive my contracts, you will be." She fixed her eyes on him curiously then. "Gil, if I become spinsterly and schoolmarmish in the next three years, will you still love me?"

He rounded on her without warning, pulling her delightfully close to his body and pressing fervent lips to her creamy skin. Anne sighed at his touch, and grateful for the twilight casting deep shadows from the lamp posts, she drew him closer to kiss him back with abandon. Gilbert stepped back after a minute or two with a cheeky look on his face.

"I wouldn't worry about it, sweetheart. _I_ know how to take the schoolmarm right out of you."

* * *

The final week of exams found tensions in the little house escalating. Notes littered every surface in the lounge room, and Aunt Jimsie had been heard to complain about the state of the dining room table at almost every meal. The girls were studying at all hours, and sleep had become a rare commodity. Late on Thursday evening, after all the girls had supposedly gone to bed, Anne heard a slight banging in the kitchen downstairs, and put her robe on over her white nightgown. She picked up a prowling Rusty halfway down the stairs, and came into the kitchen to see what she had expected to see- Phil on her hands and knees in the cupboard, looking for the milk saucepan. Anne chuckled as Rusty jumped lightly onto the floor.

"I might have expected that it was you, Phil."

"You might help me then, Aunt Jimsie has been rearranging the shelves again." Phil's voice came from inside the cupboard doors.

While Anne was checking another, a yawning Stella had come to join the pair of them. "Oh good. I couldn't sleep either. I keep seeing the clock from the examination hall in front of my face, relentlessly ticking my future away."

A ghostlike Priscilla appeared behind her then. "And then she described that to her roommate who keeps seeing it now, ruining yet another nights sleep." she said crossly.

Stella winced. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

Phil had found the saucepan by now, and was filling it with milk. Anne had pulled out four mugs, and the others went to get comfortable on the lounge chairs until they were done. When Anne found she and Phil alone, she turned to her curiously.

"So why the lack of sleep tonight?"

Phil's shoulders moved, but there was none of the characteristic smile Anne was used to seeing. "We've all been sleepless."

Anne continued to prepare the tray, with one eye on Phil. "I know we're all busy with exams, and we have the last ones tomorrow-" she said slowly. "But I'm guessing it's more than that. What's going on?"

Phil smoothed her brown curls back from her forehead and crossed her arms over her blue satin robe. "It's _time_ , Anne. There isn't enough time." she said baldly.

Anne put down the tin of cocoa, wide grey eyes watching her friend. "What do you mean?"

Phil's words were deliberate. "One week till we graduate. And then just one week to pack up this house and go home to prepare for a wedding; and then I'll be a ministers wife, and so very far from this life. That's just _two weeks_."

Anne studied her carefully. "This isn't about Jonas, is it." she commented. Phil's shoulders dropped in relief, knowing she would understand.

"No. It's- it's all me. I'm genuinely thankful for the earlier wedding, however I didn't think about how it would be to try to change focus so quickly."

Anne smiled, spooning sugar into waiting mugs. "I can appreciate that. However I think when we reach Mount Holly, your mother will take care of the focus part for you."

"You're not wrong about that." Phil leaned over the little bench pleadingly. "Anne, promise me something- don't let me get caught in it."

Anne gave her hand a squeeze. "Of course. I'll do anything you need me to, Phil. But what do you mean?"

Phil grimaced. "Anne, please don't let my mother get into my head- I don't want to get caught up in the drama, or in whose ice sculpture was bigger, or whether Cousin Mary can be sat next to Aunt Ethel at the reception. I can't stop mother from doing it, but I want to remember who I am doing this for, and why. I don't want my wedding day to be about anything other than _Jo_."

Anne put her head on one side as she regarded her friend. "We'll all do that for you, dear. And the exams end tomorrow, so we can go and celebrate wonderfully in the evening- and then we can turn our attention to your wedding, which is going to be exquisite. You _know_ your mother will make it beautiful." She gave Phil a warm smile. "And I know it's not much time, I don't think any of us are really ready for college to end. However, we've been here for four years now, even though it seems like a watch in the night. You, darling, get to exit our college years straight into the arms of the man who will make you his wife. And unless I'm much mistaken, you wouldn't really want to put that off for anything."

Phil laughed, winking a little tear from her eyes. "You're right. Anne, you are wonderfully convincing- I hope Gilbert is prepared to never win an argument with you."

Anne gave her a twinkling smile. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about him, Phil. Gilbert Blythe has his own methods of persuasion, and I can assure you that they are effective." she said, setting the last of the mugs on the tray.

"I'll bet." Phil said, with a saucy look, as they walked out to the others.

Ever aware that their time was drawing to a close, the four of them sat talking undisturbed for over an hour. Anne looked around at the girls with a little lump in her throat. She was looking forward with one part of her mind to new challenges in September, a chance to use the education she and the others had fought so hard for. New curriculums, new ways of teaching that were more than just speaking from a platform- and the students whom she could watch grow into men and women ready for work, or go on to further academic life. On her horizon sat the future she and Gilbert had dreamed of, and in only a few short days they would know what they needed to do. They would work- they would wait.

As she studied her friends, she gave a little smile, seeing that Stella had given Priscilla a thoughtful look.

"Priss, what _are_ your plans now?" Stella asked. "You've been fairly quiet on them, and I'm more than a little curious now."

Priscilla smiled. "Well, actually, I just accepted a teaching job in my home town yesterday."

Stella blinked. "That's wonderful, Priss. Why there?"

"I should think that was fairly obvious- I want to be at home for a time, again." she said honestly. "Father and Mother will be alone now, since Pamela and Joseph will both go to Queens in September. I wanted to spend some time closer to them, since I don't know where I will go after that."

"Like Japan?" Phil asked slyly, and Priscilla blushed.

"I don't know. But home is the right place for me to be, I'm sure of that. At least for now."

"What's the school like?" Anne asked.

Priscilla beamed. "Its a lovely place, actually. It has two rooms, and approximately fifty children- I will be working with the older ones, while another teacher takes the younger. I'll be the one preparing them for Queens and perhaps later, even Redmond." she said with a little smile.

Phil sighed. "So Priss is going back to the Island too! I'm sorry, I did have my heart set on one of you staying. Stella is going to Toronto with her family to see her brother over the summer- Priss is going home, and Anne is also going back to the Island to frolic in the fields-" At Anne's exclamation, she looked at her with a wicked grin. "You know you will, and most likely with Gilbert…." she teased. "Honestly, it's a wonder they even let the two of you be alone there."

Anne's cheeks were a bright red, but she countered her easily. "Which is exactly why we climb trees. No one can follow us then."

"Meanwhile I'll be living with Jo happily, cooking meals and sorting out squabbles in the vestry."

"Lucky you took several of the Political Science classes, Phil. You may need them more than you thought you would." grinned Priscilla.

Her look was bright. "It was a good idea, wasn't it? Let us hope the parishioners will be as easily persuadable."

When Anne fell into bed that night at a ridiculously late hour, she gave a sigh, looking around at her little room in the faint light coming from the window. She would have to say goodbye to it soon enough. There was a little smile on her face, as she reflected all that had happened in three years. It had shown her heartbreak and joy, hard work and countless hours of dreaming. She would be going home to her east gable room in only a few weeks; looking out on green, sleeping fields in the evening, and the cool of the woods behind the house. She would roam through fern dappled groves, and traverse the twists and turns of the brook that ran through the Haunted Wood. She would daydream in the bower she and Diana had built, and she would return to visit Hester Gray's garden. And through all of this, Gilbert would be there. He would be by her side the way he had been of old- and then she smiled. They would be together the way they always should have been of old- safely and securely in each other's arms. With this in mind, she finally closed her eyes, and fell into a much needed sleep.

* * *

At the very moment Anne lay her head on her pillow, across the other side of Kingsport Gilbert was leaping out of bed for the fourth time since he had blown his candle out. He grabbed the notebook that sat on his bed and stepped to the window, to check and recheck a formula for the exam the next day. It was right; he had assumed it would be, but doubts would suddenly assail him and he would have to check again. He stood there for a moment and leaned his head on the window, the coolness of the glass soothing his hot forehead.

It was down to days, now. Four years of hard work, and he would know the outcome in four days time.

His last two exams were on the following day, and the panel would convene over the weekend to reach their decision. He drew in a shaky breath, and then unexpectedly began to laugh as a memory came back to him.

Almost six years earlier he and Anne had been working on some of their correspondence work from Redmond. Their Greek exam and the conditions that had been set had Anne tied up in knots- something he had found quite amusing. He had attempted to bring some reason to the situation, having not yet learned that this would get him nowhere.

"Anne, there's no one here to see us. No one will notice that we are sitting the exam in the same room. We're not comparing notes, although I think it wouldn't matter if we were. My mother will not tell the professors. The people who will open the envelopes containing our exams sit in a clerk's office at Redmond, and all they want to make sure of is that our names are on the thing." he said, exasperated.

Anne's green eyes shot sparks at him, and he only just managed to conceal the laughter in his own. "Gilbert, these are our first real exams done for a real university. We are setting up patterns for an academic career, and if we fail on these then what will happen later?" she asked, her voice much higher than usual in her anxiety.

He had tried to nod seriously at first, but in the end his common sense won out. "Anne, that's ridiculous." he said kindly.

At this she went to move, ready to let him have a dose of the anger and tension that had been gradually building in her since lunchtime, until he reached across the table and took both of her hands in his warm ones. He was shocked to see her freeze, with huge eyes fixed on him. It was the first time he had tried a gesture like that with her, and he could see that she was as affected as he was. Her breath was coming quickly, and she seemed to be waiting to see what he would do next. Gilbert didn't take the time to analyze her reaction at first, he was too busy trying to control his own. He spoke rapidly, trying to defuse the situation.

"Anne, I think you're so worried that you're looking for the thing that will go wrong here. It's just a test. We know these marks don't count towards our final degree, they'll just assist us as we prepare for the real thing- and we're doing that. You know the others plan on college later too, but they aren't working yet- we do because we care. We use it a stepping stone- it's not a bridge that will crumble under us. It's just a stone." he said desperately.

He studied her nervously then, trying to see if he was calming down yet. After all, it was Anne Shirley- and he never fully knew what she would do. Maybe one day he would know that about her.

Her brows knitted together, and he tensed slightly, waiting for her to react. When she did he was taken by surprise.

"So it's just a test."

"Yes."

"And it doesn't matter where we sit it."

"Err- no." Gilbert said slowly.

She stood then, packing up her books. "Then let's go somewhere more conducive to calmness." she said flatly.

Gilbert looked at her, dumbfounded.

"There's a ring of birches on the crossroads between our houses, it has a good patch of grass and logs to sit on."

Gilbert stood then, packing his things away with a grin. "Is this rebellion I see in you, Miss Shirley?" he asked lightly.

Her nose was in the air, as she stood waiting for him to finish. "You said I needed to calm down, I need trees to do so. And if you wish to join me, I would like that very much."

It was her turn to look shocked, having not intended to say the last sentence out loud. Gilbert had followed her out the door with a little smile on his face. He'd wanted to be her friend, to somehow get closer to the girl who fascinated him. It seemed that studying together had been the best idea he had ever had.

Back in the present, Gilbert put down the notebook resolutely. He climbed into his bed then, pausing to throw the blankets off on the warm night. He took a deep breath in, willing himself to relax. This time tomorrow, and it would all be over.

Just one more day.


	19. Chapter 19, The Outcome of the Cooper

**Chapter 19**

On Friday evening, the little house was brightly lit as friends and happy classmates filled the lounge room. Exams had officially ended for them all, and for most of the people there, the college journey had almost finished as well. Stella's research team were arguing happily on the most comfortable of the sofas, and Charlie and a beaming Nicole watched on, talking contentedly with Moody. Charlie had delighted his friends that evening with the lordly announcement that he and Nicole were courting, and that he would be speaking to Nicole's parents after their graduation. Charlie, of course, declared that it had been his plan all along, and spent much time telling Gilbert and Moody that what a woman _really_ needed was a man who had everything figured out ahead of time. If the two of them smiled it was unseen by Charlie, and they congratulated him heartily.

While the noise of the household caused some consternation for Aunt Jimsie, it was perfectly quiet outside in the dim corner of the orchard where Anne and Gilbert had slipped away to be alone. Gilbert's jacket and tie had been discarded, and he stretched out on the ground with a contented smile on his face. Anne lay in his arms, playing with his hand lightly.

"We _are_ becoming anti-social." she said, with a dreamy smile.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "If it bothers you we can go in."

She smiled at that. "No, not at all."

Gilbert turned to look at her, smoothing the hair back from her forehead. "You're tired, sweetheart."

"Oh, we had a late night here last night with last minute exam nerves," Anne said, with a yawn.

"I can go home early-" he offered, before she leapt on him and hugged him with surprising force, making him laugh as she shook her head adamantly.

"We've been waiting for this moment for so long, Gil, I want to enjoy it. Please stay with me."

"Anne, how much can we enjoy it if we're asleep?"

She gave him a long, candid look that made him blush instantly. "Wait, forget I asked that," he said, with a grin. "I won't go home yet, although if we _do_ fall asleep out here we'll have some explaining to do in the morning."

Gilbert sat up then, his back against the apple tree they were underneath. The wind was cool as it moved through the trees, and through the leaves, little pinpricks of starlight showed through. He thought idly that even Avonlea would find it hard to match the charm of this night- although there _was_ another apple tree there: and one he had not visited since the misery of the night of Fred and Diana's wedding. He ran his fingers through the red curls of the girl who lay beside him now with a smile. She would be with him the next time he saw it.

"Do you think you could stay conscious for a while longer, Anne-girl?"

Anne sat up then, her loose hair swinging over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember asking me about alternative plans?" he asked slowly. "Plans of what we will do if I _don't_ get the scholarship?"

Anne stared at his calm face, startled. Gilbert hadn't mentioned it in quite some time, and she had assumed the subject would only come up if necessary.

"Gil, we can talk about it after Monday, if we need to." she said, after a moment.

Gilbert smiled at her fondly. "I know we can, but I wanted you to know what I've been thinking, so you aren't caught unawares. And I've been thinking pretty hard, _sooo_ …"

She chuckled and settled herself into his side. "Alright. What are you thinking, dearest?"

Gilbert wrapped his arms around her with a smile. "Well, you know the first plan. I win the Cooper, I go to medical school and become a doctor, and you and I get married in three years time."

Anne smiled. "So, the preferred plan."

"Exactly. The second is one my parents came up with." Anne looked at him in shock, seeing the stubborn set of his jaw. "I don't love this one. But they made me promise I would discuss it with you, just in case. It's to do with the farm."

Anne sat silently, her eyes wide.

"It would involve them selling a part of the farm that a neighbour has been after for quite some time. Dad's reasoning is that they would sell it at some point, why not do it to help me now?"

Anne let out a deep breath. "Oh, Gil."

"Yes. But in the event that I didn't win the Cooper, it would pay for over half the schooling- and from my calculations, I would only need to work for a year to pay the rest," he said reluctantly.

Anne rested her head on her knees. "Unless _my_ work paid for that last year," she said slowly, bringing Gilbert's head up with a snap. "Surely that would keep it to just three years as well."

"Anne, there's no way I would let you-"

She bristled instantly. "Gil, what do you think I'm going to Summerside for, exactly? To buy doilies or wedding china or the trousseau of my dreams? I'm _not_ \- I'm working for _us_. Why wouldn't you let me help you with this?"

He shook his head, with a heavy sigh. "Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't, it's just not an idea I've considered. I suppose I'm a bit old-fashioned." He hesitated and gave her a depreciating smile. "You _know_ this about me, sweetheart. It's who I was raised to be. Dad taught me that the number one thing a man has to do is to look after the people in his care. I can't help interpreting that as you."

"When did your father teach you that?" Anne asked.

Gilbert looked at her thoughtfully. "All the time. But most particularly when I was about to head to Alberta with him. He tried to make me stay with my mother."

Anne slipped her hand into his. "So you had to choose," she said softly.

Gilbert shook his head. "Not really. Mother had my Aunt and Uncle next door, they'd promised to take care of her. Dad would have been all alone."

She cuddled up to him knowing that even at only ten years of age, he had made the only decision he could.

After a moment he squeezed her hand, wanting her to understand. "It's meant to be me looking after the three of you, you know," he said pensively. Anne shot him an incredulous look.

"Gilbert Blythe, it _will_ be. You know that. This is just a season- and a most important one for you. When your parents are older, of _course_ you will look after them- and as for me, after our marriage, I certainly won't be teaching. Then I'm afraid it's all on you, my love." she said, with humour. "Especially when we are having our babies."

He laughed, his firm hands slipping around her waist. "Now that's something I can't wait for. Although your waist is so tiny- how will you fit a baby in there?" he whispered, with a tender smile.

Anne chuckled, pulling herself into his arms. "These things start small, my love. It's a process. I'll grow with it." Her eyes were shining as they looked into his, and he caught his breath, already seeing her with their child. He kissed her then, cradling her cheeks in his hands.

"You'll be so beautiful." he whispered, before twisting her red curls in his hand, and pulling her closer to him.

It was only a few minutes later when Anne began to laugh, as his lips caressed her neck. "Not right _now_ , though, Gil- I thought medical school came first!"

Gilbert chuckled with a sheepish grin, and he pulled her up from the grass. "You make a good point. Well, I guess that brings us to idea number three."

"So are you ruling out the second completely?" Anne asked, with a sigh.

Gilbert shrugged. "I don't like it, is what I actually said."

"I know. We could do it, but I don't like the idea of your parents sacrificing so much for us," she said reluctantly.

"This last one is a bit different." Anne looked at him wide-eyed, and he continued carefully. "It takes away the element of medical school entirely. You would still go to Summerside, and I would find a job as a teacher- and I think I wasn't a bad one. Ideally, I would find work in a high school as you have, and work my way up from there, and I would aim to end up teaching in a university. It's an alternative Professor Fredrickson suggested, actually. I'd be Professor Blythe." He grinned at Anne then, who was still frozen in shock.

"You would do that?"

Gilbert smiled at her. "I could do that. If I couldn't get a school immediately, I already have a full-time job with the paper if I want it. I would need to work for a year first to save a little, but it would mean we could be married next summer."

Anne pulled her hand from his, pressing her hands to her temples. Thoughts whirled around in her head, and then she looked at Gilbert, who was watching her uncertainly.

She shook her head and tried to smile. "I'm sorry, Gil, you just took me by surprise. I never thought you would _not_ be a doctor."

"Do you not like that idea?" he asked, worried.

Anne's look was startled. "Oh, I almost like it too much." She looked at his puzzled face. "Gil, I will wait any length of time for you, you know that. But to make a home with you sooner than three years- to think that in a year we could almost be man and wife-" she broke off, with a small sigh.

He held her closely, then, running his fingers through the red curls that fell down her back. "I know. And we could do it if we wanted to; no matter what the outcome was."

Anne sat back from him, studying him intently. She then shook her head. "I wish I could just say yes to that," she said wistfully. "I want to. But medical school is more important to you than that. I think if you didn't go, you would always wonder what your life could have been like- if we'd waited, if we'd been just a little more patient. I want to live out those dreams we told each other about so long ago."

Gilbert's eyes clouded. "I do too. But Anne-girl, three years away from you-"

Anne's arms came around him then, and she kissed his cheeks and his forehead and temples. When she pulled away, he was surprised to see the tears in her eyes, as she stared into his own fiercely.

"Gil, we could have still been apart from each other right now- in body and soul," she said brokenly. "What if we never again talked, never understood each other? What if you and I never saw each other again?"

Gilbert held her to him tightly, his own voice shaking now. "You're not really helping, you know that, right?" he said, with a slight chuckle.

She shook her head at him, pulling away almost angrily. Kneeling up before him, she took his face in her hands.

" _No_. You and I could have been separated permanently. We could have made different decisions that would have drawn us apart, and I know now that I would have lived a half-life without you. It would have hurt me for all time." She pressed a kiss to his beloved face, before holding his hand tightly to her breast. "And I _know_ that whatever happened in my life, at some point I would have realised everything- at some point the knowledge that I loved you and had lost you would have pierced me completely. And I wouldn't have recovered from that."

Gilbert swallowed hard, his brow contorting in pain. "Even if you'd married Gardner?"

Anne nodded, with a sad smile. "Yes. And it would have happened sooner, rather than later, I think. Gilbert, this is why I can wait. Why I _will_ wait. None of that happened. I am yours, and you are mine- and no matter what happens, we know that."

He pulled her onto the ground with him, into his arms with a thankful sigh. The leaves fluttered in the evening wind, and as the two of them lay quietly, they looked up to watch the last of the blossoms fall.

"It's nearly summer." he said softly.

Anne rolled over to look at him, from where she rested on his shoulder. "Gil, I thought I heard you talking with Moody earlier about work at the paper. Are you thinking about coming back to Kingsport early?" she asked worriedly. He kissed her brow, and lay his head back against the grass.

"No. You know I've been doing a night here and there through the year, and I've been organising to do it again next year. I could get the work, but I thought it would be better to spend the summer relaxing once we get home again. I need it before next year, whatever the outcome of Monday is."

"Gil? Do you want me to come with you?" she asked slowly, and he hesitated.

"The meeting might take some time, and the other candidate will be there too," he said eventually. "I think it will take too long."

"Gil, I could wait for you-" she pleaded. He paused, wondering how to word this.

"Would you mind if I said no, sweetheart?"

Anne looked at him in shock, trying to read his expression. His hazel eyes looked into hers earnestly, and he pushed a curl out of her eyes, willing her to understand.

"I- I need to do this part by myself. But I'll come straight to you as soon as I know, I promise."

Anne looked at him for a long moment and finally nodded, nestling closer into the arms that wrapped around her. She put her arm across his chest, and they lay in silence for some time enjoying the peace around them.

It wasn't until half an hour later, that Anne awoke with a little start.

Gilbert pushed her hair over her shoulder. "Hey, it's alright, sweetheart. You fell asleep." he said, chuckling slightly.

Anne rubbed her eyes, confused. "Oh. Did you?"

He sat up then, smiling when she curled up again with a sigh, placing her red head on his lap. He hadn't slept. He'd simply enjoyed the scent of her hair as it whispered across his chest, the feel of her warm body against his and the hand that grasped his shirt lightly. Thinking about the summer, about the plans they had discussed.

"I don't know why I woke up." she mumbled.

"You heard the front door slamming, I think the others are heading home now. We should probably head inside too; I need my beauty sleep."

She sat up then, with a chuckle. "You're already beautiful. Oh, Gil, I wish we could stay."

He gave her a wry smile. "I know. And it might start perfectly innocently. But waking up with you in my arms is not going to bring out my most honourable self."

He stood up, pulling her to her feet. Her arms came around his waist, and she gave him a teasing look. "It's certainly a tempting thought, Gil."

Gilbert gave an incredulous laugh and looked at the girl in his arms. In her light dress, and with her long hair unbound, she looked like a maiden from a fairytale. His throat tightened, and he cleared his throat. "And that's how I know I need to go," he commented, amused. "Now, where was my jacket again?"

The two of them hunted under the trees, laughing when his tie was discovered hanging on a small bush.

He walked her then to the side door, pausing to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm going to sleep like a log tonight, I think," he said, yawning. "I can't believe we're finally done with exams."

Anne smiled at him then, pressing a kiss to the top of his head from the stone steps. "Until next year, anyway, Gil. I'm still trusting in our original plan."

"So am I."

* * *

On the 23rd of May, at half-past five in the afternoon Gilbert Blythe sat outside the examination room, wiping sweaty hands on his second-best suit. He was glad to be alone, for whatever reason Andrew Steele was not in attendance at that moment. He had arrived at the library to pass the time early that morning after a sleepless night and was absent through most of his classes that day. Mrs Saunders had fussed over his rumpled suit and grumbled about the meagre breakfast he had managed to choke down- in reality, he was sick with nerves. He hadn't seen Anne that day, he'd needed time to prepare himself- he hoped that she would understand.

He drew a sharp breath when the door beside him opened.

Professor Fredrickson's secretary stood there stiffly.

"Mr Blythe. The committee will see you now."

* * *

All that afternoon, Anne paced the floor of the living room at Patty's Place anxiously. The girls had given up trying to talk to her, and even Aunt Jimsie had thrown her hands up in defeat. In the end, Stella pursed her lips and ordered Anne to get her hat. Surprisingly she had complied, with little thought as to what she was doing.

"Come now, Anne; we're going for a walk in the park," she said, with an amused look at Phil over Anne's red head. "Phil will send Gilbert over as soon as he arrives, and I'll be your caretaker to make sure you don't wander off the edge of the cape in your distraction."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Anne said exasperated, sounding like herself for one brief moment.

"I'm _not_ , dear," Stella said kindly. "And you can humour me since I'm fairly certain that you and Gilbert have worn at least a few months off my life with your dramas this year."

"Oh!" Anne exclaimed indignantly. Stella only laughed and pushed her out of the door.

The distraction worked well for a time, and together they wandered to the gazebo that overlooked the harbour. The evening was cool with the breeze coming off the water, and gulls circled lazily on the horizon. While Stella pulled out a book calmly, Anne looked out at the evening light over the waters, thinking dreamily of the night Gilbert had brought her here in September. She smiled slightly, thinking of the careful way the two of them had danced around the subject of their own feelings- tentative attempts to breach the gap that had been created over the year previous; the yearnings she had felt to touch him, to be closer to him that night, even before she understood the depths of her feelings for the boy she had grown up with. How had he forgiven her for the pain she had put him through? How on earth had he seen past the walls she had erected around herself?

She sighed, and then her head turned quickly, finally hearing footsteps coming up the path. Stella gathered her book up wordlessly and gave Gilbert a small smile, as she walked past him, and back towards the house.

Gilbert saw her stand nervously, and he walked directly to her with sure steps. He took her hand in his with a sparkle in his hazel eyes, and to her surprise, he solemnly dropped to one knee before her.

"Anne Shirley; I need to ask you a question." he said, with a gleam in his eye that she recognised.

Anne's eyes were wide with expectancy, waiting for him to elaborate.

Gilbert's gaze rested on her, and a gentle smile came to his lips. "Anne, will you marry me in exactly three years time?" he asked.

Anne's lip trembled, and she took a deep breath in. "And just _whom_ shall I be marrying?" she asked, her tone light.

" _Doctor_ Gilbert Blythe," he said quietly, his eyes steadfastly on hers. He could only laugh at the way she threw herself into his arms with a glad cry, sending them both to the ground and covering his face with kisses.

* * *

Sometime later, when the first raptures were over and Anne was happily ensconced beside Gilbert on a sofa, Anne sat eagerly listening to what had happened at his meeting. The girls offered their hearty congratulations, saying they had known all along that he would get it; and thoughtfully left the couple alone while they all walked to Redmond for a Convocation committee meeting. He wanted to sit as close to her as he could and had moved her so that she sat against the arm of the sofa, her feet and voluminous skirts resting across his lap, and her sparkling grey eyes fixed on him intently.

"I walked in, and they were all just looking at me, with folded arms and a stack of paperwork in front of them," Gilbert said with a grin. "And then I noticed that they were my latest exam papers, and that made me even _more_ nervous when I couldn't read the marks on them. They made me take a seat on the other side of the table, and they seemed to enjoy watching me perspire, I think," he said with a chuckle. "And just when I thought I was going to run screaming from all the tension, the Dean of the university stood up and smiled- he offered me his hand, and told me that they were proud to present me with the Cooper Prize, saying that I'm the only one to receive it out of a hundred applicants over the past five years." He gave Anne a sheepish look then. "I didn't know how to react, but it seems they didn't either- Professor Kettlewell looked like she wanted to hug me, but settled for an awkward handshake, Dr Newburn went to slap me on the back and caught the back of my head instead." He laughed then. "After it all settled down they started to talk about all the scholarship entails- I have certain responsibilities, and social obligations- I'll serve on various committees and have to go to faculty functions, that sort of thing. As I expected, I'll have to maintain certain grades, and they already told me that they will expect more of me than the average medical student."

Anne beamed at him proudly. "And you'll thrive on that, dearest; you know you will."

Gilbert reached a lean hand up to ruffle his brown curls in contentment. "Anne, it's incredible. Professor Fredrickson didn't go into _half_ what the scholarship covers. It's full tuition, textbooks and even board for three years. And as a bonus, I'm assigned to a Dr Edmonds, who is one of the visiting lecturers for the course in medicine, and the head of surgery at the hospital- he'll mentor me through the course, and I'll have every access to support that I'll need. Oh, and I get a plaque put up with my photo in the dean's hall." he finished, with a cheeky grin.

"It's wonderful; and you have worked so hard for it, dearest." Anne rested her cheek against his shoulder, running her hand along his broad chest. She suddenly chuckled. "You know, I can feel the loss of tension in your body, Gil. I can't quite get used to the change yet."

Gilbert smiled, broadly. "Tell me about it." He then fixed her with a curious look. "Anne, I've been trying as hard as I can to calm down and not worry you, how is it you can always tell? I thought I'd covered it pretty well lately."

Anne looked at him, amused. "You mean it can't just be by women's intuition, or even a lover's?"

He looked at her sceptically, and she laughed. "Gil, you _know_ how well I know you." When he held her gaze evenly, she shrugged with a slight smile. "Fine. Your breathing changes."

"My _breathing_?"

She nodded. "Always. Even when we were just good friends I could tell when something had you wound up," she said honestly.

He looked at her in surprise. "I see." He pushed her back from him slightly then with a suspicious look. "Wait a minute. So all those times when I was trying to get the courage to ask to see you- I'd get all worked up and ready to do it, but you seemed to somehow know it was coming, and then I wouldn't be able to say anything. _That_ was how you knew?"

She gave him a rather sad smile. "I suppose so." She took his head in her hands then and kissed him. "I'm sorry, Gil. However, I would guess that I have my own set of telltale signs that you know by heart as well."

He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "I can tell when you're about to hit me with some crazy scheme," he said candidly, laughing at the look of indignation on her face. "The Observer notes- the ill-fated picnic we took in our first year here; the time you decided you wanted us to walk out to Hester Gray's garden in the middle of winter in the snow- they all started with the same look, sweetheart." He gave a short laugh then. "Anne, it's how I guessed you were seconds from running out into the storm at the schoolhouse- that was the same look."

"Oh." Anne shook her head, still amazed at the way he had read her back then. "If I had been thinking clearly- and I _wasn't_ \- I might have wondered if you were somehow reading my mind," she said sheepishly, and then rolled her eyes at the snort he gave.

"Anne-girl, if I _ever_ had the power to read your mind, we could have sorted out most of our misunderstandings _years_ ago. Even from the first day we met."

She pushed off his lap with a little laugh, turning to pull him up as well, as she led him into the kitchen to prepare them some tea. As she pulled out the cups and saucers, she smiled at him. "Oh? And how _should_ young Mr Blythe have approached the situation?"

He laughed. "Well, perhaps I _should_ have said-" Gilbert took her hand in his, cleared his throat and adopted a low, breathy tone that made Anne laugh, ' _Hello_ , Miss Shirley. I see you are new to my school. I find you fascinating, and would like to get your attention in a thoroughly appropriate manner; so please allow me to say that your intelligence is unmatched, your eyes are exquisite, and I have always found young ladies with dark auburn hair like your own to be the loveliest of women.'" Gilbert grinned at Anne's giggle as she clapped her hands, and bowed to her.

"Oh, well done! Yes, that would have certainly worked on a younger version of me."

His smile was mischievous, as he stalked around the counter to where she was working. "And what does the _older_ Miss Shirley require?" he asked quietly, carefully removing the saucer from her hands.

Anne's cheeks flushed at his tone, and at the little gleam in his eyes. "I think the _older_ you knows perfectly well, Gil," she said faintly, as she found herself backed against the kitchen bench. She smiled then at his closeness, and at the way he wrapped his long arms around her. As he lifted her slightly to sit on the bench, she took his face in her hands and began to kiss him breathlessly, when he pulled her still closer to himself, tracing urgent kisses on the soft skin just under her ear, his other hand pressed to the small of her back.

A little laugh shook her, and she pulled away to see that his hazel eyes had darkened unmistakably. "Gil, what are you doing?" she whispered.

The boyish triumphant smile was on his face, and his body was pressed tightly against hers, as he answered her, in a low voice that made her shiver. "We're _celebrating_."

Anne chuckled, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. It was then that she felt Gilbert stiffen slightly.

"Err- Anne? He's doing it again."

She pulled away from him and looked down to the floor, and began to laugh. Down near Gilbert's feet was Rusty, sitting in the middle of the kitchen, and as usual, watching Gilbert. His tail lashed against the floor malevolently, his amber eyes fixed on the tall man who insisted on intruding on his household. Gilbert shook his head, assisting a blushing Anne down from the bench, but keeping his arm around her possessively.

"You _have_ told him that I'm good with cats, haven't you?" he said, exasperated. "I'm sure he's got it in for me."

Anne's eyes were wide as she defended her pet. "He's a darling, Gil. And a cat may look at a king, dearest. I'm sure he thinks he's just keeping an eye on you."

Gilbert pretended to grumble. "It's more effective than a chaperone, I think."

She leant back to look at him then and pressed a kiss to his chin that made him smile. "Do you really want tea?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I'm just as happy without it."

She smiled. "As am I. Could you go and wait in the living room for a minute?" she asked him softly. "I have to get something."

Gilbert threw himself down on the sofa, loosening his tie, and allowing the stress and anxiety of the day to begin to seep from him. He'd _done_ it. He'd accomplished the goal he had had, even before Anne was back in his life. He would be able to study, able to take on the career he desired, to do his best for those he would serve. He smiled then, thinking of Anne. She would be his wife in three years time, and he would be able to provide for her and their family well, all the days of his life.

When Anne came downstairs, the room was so quiet that she feared Gilbert had fallen asleep. He hadn't though- he was merely looking up at the ceiling dreamily, with a lazy smile on his face. He sat up as she rounded the lounge, his look intrigued at the neatly wrapped bundle she handed to him.

She smiled at him with an unusually shy glance. "I wanted to get you something for your graduation, and I decided that it would mean more to give it to you today."

Gilbert gave her a quick look before pulling the paper apart, and with a shaking hand pulled out a stethoscope. For a moment, he was speechless. " _Anne_ -" he said, his voice failing him.

She smiled. "I went to talk to some of the medical students about what would be useful, and apart from saying that what you really need is _sleep_ at medical school, they said that this would help. They even helped me to hunt around Kingsport to find it."

Gilbert rose from his seat, and took her into his arms tightly, trying to swallow back tears. "Anne, you didn't even know I would _get_ it," he whispered.

Anne's smile was loving, as she regarded the man who held her. "Of _course_ I did. You're Gilbert Blythe." She pushed the hair from his forehead gently. "You do everything you set out to do, and you work harder at it than anyone I have ever known. You were _born_ to do this."

He held her in his arms, beginning to laugh at the sheer joy welling up inside of him. He had a plan and a future, and he had Anne. As he held her to him and began to kiss her, one hazy thought came to him. There was really nothing else he would ever need.


	20. Chapter 20, Honours and Promises

**Chapter 20**

* * *

The week before Convocation began to fly. Last results were coming through for everyone, last fittings for dresses, and the start of packing up the little house that had been home to the girls for almost three years. The house had been furnished when they had arrived, however little knick knacks were scattered everywhere, amongst books and the things they had added of their own. Stella's family would be coming the next day to be there for Convocation, and Phil's parents would arrive on the morning of the ceremony.

Anne was indulging in a rare moment of idleness late on Wednesday afternoon, and could be found under the pines in a shady corner of the grove. She had been assisting Aunt Jimsie with an inventory of Patty's Place, making sure that the little house was left in the condition they had moved into it- even to the puttying of the holes in the wallpaper. Miss Patty had written to Anne her instructions upon leaving the property, and Phil and Jonas would be there to hand over the keys to the women when they arrived home in late June. They had gone over it from the attic to the ground floor, and Anne was beginning her own list of what items would need to be shipped to Green Gables the following week.

She stretched out now on the grass in her blue and white dress, dreamily weaving the little white daisies growing in the shade into a crown. She breathed in the scent of the pine trees above, her lips curving into a smile at the sound of the wind blowing through the tops of the trees, the almost musical tones joining irresistibly with the scent of the afternoon breeze.

It was an hour later that Gilbert found her there, once more asleep. He walked softly to the hollow, and stretched out beside her, with no intention of waking her. According to Phil, they had been up at all hours the previous night working on last minute wedding arrangements, some little plans that Phil had wished to complete for Jo without her mother's input. Anne had been working to put some thoughts into verse for her, and Phil was delighted with the results, although professing little knowledge of the art herself. Gilbert grinned. He had just met with the student committee about the upcoming graduation ceremony, and had found out a little something that she would not know yet.

When the sun shifted over the trees a little later Anne stirred, coming up to rest on one elbow with a little frown on her face. The frown disappeared when she saw who was beside her, and she smiled. He was jacketless, and his tie had been loosened in the way he often did in the summertime. She reached up with gentle fingers to stroke his face, and then was startled when a very asleep Gilbert flung an arm around her, effectively pinning her to the ground. Laughter bubbled up in her, and it was this that finally woke him.

"Excuse me, sir; am I disturbing your slumber?" she said with a giggle.

He smiled, pulling her in to his chest sleepily. "You started it, Anne. I was just waiting for you to wake up."

She lifted her hand to her face as she yawned. "I'm wondering if this is how we'll actually spend most of the summer- catching up on lost sleep."

He shrugged, his eyes still closed. "If it's together, I'm game if you are. You'll need to see that Mrs Lynde doesn't know where to find us." Anne sat up then, to straighten out her hair, and he squinted up at her in the sunlight. "So I just had a meeting." he commented with a smile, sitting up and brushing the grass off his shirt.

"Oh?"

"Well, after I got back from the hospital-"

Anne flew up then, her eyes huge. "The _hospital_! Gil, what happened?" She began checking him, making him laugh.

" _Nothing_ happened, you goose. The meeting was arranged for me to meet Dr Edmonds."

Anne sat back down with a sigh of relief, and she looked across at him then with a little scowl. "The over-reaction is your fault, you know. The amount of tackles you used to take when you were playing football! I think it's permanently scarred me."

Gilbert looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Well, I'm going to be dealing with hospitals from now on, Miss Shirley; I suggest you come to terms with them. You never told me it worried you when I played."

She flushed then, embarrassed. "Well, I didn't really have the _right_ to tell you that at the time, Gil."

He laughed. "Anne, do you know how much I would have wanted to know that?"

She rolled her eyes in self-mockery. "And that's the _other_ reason I wouldn't have told you." she mumbled.

Gilbert's look was smug. "Yes, you wouldn't want me to know how distracting you found me back then. As it is, I haven't played football for months, Anne-girl. And I never got hurt seriously."

Anne wrapped her arms around her knees. "That's not exactly true." she pointed out. "You got knocked out twice in our first year- they thought you had broken something in our sophomore year, and the year after that you sprained your shoulder." She shivered then, and he took her hand.

"I didn't even know you knew that happened." he grinned, his hazel eyes lighting up. "I didn't see you at any games."

She laughed at that. "No, I avoided them, especially while we weren't together. I used to be too afraid you would get hurt, and then I would be furious about being worried about you when you appeared to be doing so well without me-"

"Yes, _wonderfully_ well…" he muttered.

"- _And_ then I would be seething with rage if I went, whenever I saw the girls go flocking around you." she said with a grimace. "Phil always used to make a point of telling Stella and Priss in front of me just how you went in each game, so I got to hear about every little detail, whether I liked it or not."

His grin was huge. "I need to buy that girl flowers. She was furthering my cause even when I was out of the running."

Anne chuckled, and rested her red head against his shoulder. "You were never out of the running; not really, Gil."

He kissed the top of her head and turned to face her, crossing his long legs under him like they did when they were younger.

"So before you interrupted me by telling me how _amazingly_ distracting I was, I was telling you about my meeting." he said, with a big grin.

Anne chuckled, turning to sit opposite him. When she was facing him, he took her hand in his, rubbing her long fingers with his thumb.

"I just came from the Dean's office, where he was going over the order of service for the graduation ceremony with the heads of department, the student committee, and of course _me_."

"Of course." Anne said, dimpling. Gilbert grinned at her and pulled a folded piece of paper from his breast pocket.

"Have you got your results yet?" he asked.

Anne sat up a little higher. "Oh- we're getting them tomorrow, I think."

He leaned in to kiss her on the nose.

" _I_ know who is on the Honours list." he said smugly. Anne's eyes suddenly widened in horror, and to his surprise she covered her eyes then with a little moan.

"Oh! No, don't tell me, Gil. No, wait, you _need_ to tell me. Oh, I don't want to know," she said with a groan, and then shook her head. "Oh goodness, I'm not sure about that last paper, I think my essay didn't fully cover the allegorical nuances in the three novels, and I'm sure that I mistranslated several key passages in the Greek paper. And I probably didn't-"

Gilbert grabbed both of her hands in his and tugged on them, pulling her into his lap. When she was settled there comfortably, he chuckled at the panicked look on her face. "Sweetheart, calm _down_. Am I going to start this conversation with you and then give you bad news?" he asked her with a grin.

Anne huffed, and then rolled her eyes. "Fine. What exactly did you learn, Mr Blythe?"

Gilbert tucked a curl behind her ears and spoke confidentially. "Firstly, Priss and Phil are receiving honours in Classics and Mathematics respectively." he said with a smile.

Anne's face lit up. "Oh, well done to them! They'll be so happy, and they've worked so hard!"

He hugged her in tightly. "I know." Gilbert pulled back to touch her soft cheek, watching the vulnerable look that came into her eyes as she looked at him in question.

"So that's the _honours_ list. And neither you nor I are on it." he said softly. Anne swallowed hard, trying to contain her disappointment. His next words stopped her cold. "But there is _another_ list. The Dean's list."

Anne's eyes were huge, and she turned in his arms to grab hold of his shirt. "Gil, what are you saying?"

He put his hands on either side of her face, and kissed her lips quickly, before grinning at her happily. "Anne, you're receiving high honours in English."

At this, she let out a shriek, and nearly strangled him with her hug. He was laughing when he loosened her grip on him to breathe, and when he looked at her, he saw her tears falling and tenderly wiped them away.

"I mean, I _hoped_ ," she said shakily. "But I didn't actually know- all Professor Trelor told me was that I'd done rather well."

Gilbert's eyebrow flew up. "Well, he's right." he said dryly. He kissed her cheeks warmly. "Congratulations, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you."

Anne sighed with relief, before pulling back to look at him with a dazed expression. "And what about you?"

He grinned again. "Well, I already knew some of it; you can't get the Cooper without high honours in several subjects. For me it's in Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry."

"Perfect for a young medical student, then." she said, beaming with pride.

"There will be official photographers there, and you and I will be in one with the other twelve of the Dean's list students." he said lightly. "But I want to make sure you and I have one together in cap and gown- for our families, and for us to keep especially."

Anne's grey eyes lit up joyously. "Of course. Oh, Gil, won't they all be so proud?"

Gilbert held her closely, his eyes soft. " _I'm_ so proud."

She smiled at him, taking his face in her hands. "So am I." she whispered, before raising her lips to meet his. He pulled away for a brief moment, with a satisfied smile. "My clever girl." he whispered, before claiming her lips with greater insistency. She shifted her body to pull herself closer to him as he kissed her, and he sighed when her tongue brushed his own sweetly.

Lost in the moment, the two of them jumped when they heard Phil's voice.

"When you're _quite_ done, you shameless pair." she said drolly. "Listen, darlings, Jo and I were wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with us tonight? We have some wedding business to talk about with the best man and chief bridesmaid."

Anne' face flushed with a rosy colour, and Gilbert grinned at her. He raised a fingertip to touch her lips, plump and full after their embrace, and turned to Phil quite calmly.

"We'd love to. Are you ready to go now?"

She gave them a sly grin. "Jo is dropping something off to a neighbour, and he will return in ten minutes, or so. We'll be ready to go then." Phil winked at them and went back inside.

Gilbert grinned at Anne, pulling a small twig out of her hair. "As a matter of fact, I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight. I figured we deserved to celebrate a little."

Anne snuggled into his arms with a smile. "Are you going to tell Phil about the honours list?"

He shifted her from his lap with a little groan, and clambered to his feet. He took her hands in his and pulled her up to rather unsteady feet, and she laughed at the pair of them.

"We've been on the ground for too long, I think." Anne commented dryly. "Well?"

"Hmm. She was a bit impertinent, don't you think? Should she wait another day?" he asked Anne, and she laughed, as they walked towards the house.

"Perhaps. Let's see how she behaves."

When inside, Anne turned to him with a little smile. "I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm just going to change my dress." She turned to go, although not before a little look crossed his face, one that was both yearning and sweet. Anne came back to him to kiss him, pausing to look into his hazel eyes understandingly. "I love you too." she said softly, and smiled at him. She turned to go, and Gilbert took in a deep breath, his face flushed. He walked to the mirror to straighten his tie, and collected his jacket from the chair he had left it on several hours ago.

* * *

That evening, the four of them sat around the table in a little dining hall, talking quietly. Anne's hand was in Gilbert's, as they listened to Jo.

"Patrick was supposed to get in on the steamer two days ago." he said scratching his head. "When I spoke to the shipping office, they said that they believed it to have been delayed in New York, I know he was hoping to be here by tomorrow at the latest. Aaron is home on sabbatical in Saint John, he'll come in on the train on Tuesday afternoon, just in time for us to leave for Bolingbroke." He grinned at Gilbert across the table. "Aaron and I were in school together. He was that kid who would put thumbtacks on the teacher's chair, and tormented all of the girls in the class."

Gilbert began to laugh, with a cheeky look at Anne. "We'll get on well then. I didn't get to talk to him much last time they were in town. How did he decide on the ministry?"

Jonas smiled. "His father was a minister. He wanted him to follow in his footsteps, but Aaron wasn't so keen. However, when we were about fifteen, he accompanied his father on a trip to an orphanage in Singapore. He came home a different person- he trained as a teacher, and when he'd saved up, he went to seminary school, and I followed him a year later. We met Patrick there too. Aaron's been coming and going from Borneo for the last two years, he's working to establish a school that runs out of the orphanage there." He turned to Anne then, with a gentle look. "I hope talking about this doesn't upset you, Anne, I wasn't sure if you knew what it was Aaron did."

Gilbert gave her hand a squeeze, as she smiled at Jo. "I think it's wonderful, actually." she said, her eyes soft. "I know how much those children need love and support."

Jo grinned at her. "He's threatening to adopt all forty of the children over there, he adores them- and he insists that all the staff get to know the children as well. I'd love to see it one day."

"Dad did want to send us overseas for our honeymoon." Phil pointed out.

Jonas smiled at her. "I know. However, I have a church to look after as well now. And you wanted to stay closer to home."

"I did." she said unapologetically. She turned to Anne with a wry smile. "Mother has sent through a schedule for the bridal party, every one of us. You girls and I will be having fittings on Wednesday morning, and then we will meet with her stylist on Thursday."

Anne looked at her, bewildered. "What _is_ a stylist?"

Phil shrugged. "I have no idea. But apparently Cousin Mary had one, so my mother insisted. I think it has something to do with hair." she said flatly, and turned to Gilbert then. "Mother is using the guest house for the gentlemen, so the groomsmen and Dad's business partners will be staying there. The girls will be staying in the east wing with me, and my grandparents will be taking up the west one." she said matter-of-factly.

Gilbert shot a look at Anne, with a little smile on his face. Anne had described Mount Holly to him before, however he still expected to be surprised by Phil's childhood home.

Anne smiled at him. "The gardens are beautiful there too, Gil, I've never seen such a lovely one, in fact. I spent a lot of time outside when I was there."

"Indeed you did. Jacques still talks about you." Phil said, with a laugh. "He's the gardener, Gilbert. He keeps asking me when the young lady with the red hair will come back to visit him. He's doing all of the roses for the bouquets too; Mother says he is pushing through some rheumatism to keep the flowers in good condition, but that he won't hear about her getting any help for him. He doesn't trust anyone else with his plants."

Phil and Jo soon fell to discussing some of the arrangements quietly, and Gilbert took a chance to talk to Anne while they did so.

"Are you alright?" he said softly.

Anne nodded, with a big smile. "Of course, Gil."

He leant in closer to whisper in her ear. "Then why does it look like you want to cry?"

She met his eyes with a little lump in her throat. Before she could speak, Jonas had returned from settling the bill and suggested they head out to walk the ladies home.

* * *

Gilbert held onto Anne's hand as they strolled a little behind the others. A cool wind was blowing, foretelling a change in the weather. He nudged her and pointed to the starless sky as they walked. "It's almost the season for early summer storms." he commented with a grin. "That came around quickly."

"So it did!" she said brightly. "Let us hope that we aren't caught in any more of them."

"I want to be safely inside one of our homes if we get another storm like that, Anne-girl." Gilbert stated. "Preferably together, inside with comfortable chairs, and water that isn't pulled from a rain gutter and served in vases."

Anne laughed. "Really, we were astonishingly lucky to have what we _did_ , Gil."

"It wasn't luck."

Anne turned to him questioningly, and he shrugged.

"I don't think I can be thankful enough for what happened back then." he said carefully. "And I can't see it as an accident. We were meant to be together, and I think we ended up there because we had to."

She reached up to stroke the roughness of his jawline. "That's not very scientific, my darling."

He laughed at that. "You know I'm not all science, Anne-girl. You make me believe in the unbelievable constantly."

Anne slipped her arms around his waist, nestling her head on his shoulder.

"Doesn't this make it harder to walk?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Then stop walking, Gil." Anne said innocently.

At this delicious moment, Phil turned back to talk to the pair.

"We're just taking a little walk in the park before we go in, now run home like good little children won't you? We'll be home soon." she said, with a cheeky grin. Jo tugged on her hand with a sheepish grin, and she turned back to him with her big crooked smile, her brown curls swinging behind her. Gilbert gave Anne a knowing look, and together they continued along the street, the lights of Patty's Place gleaming from the hill.

"So can you tell me why you were a little teary earlier?" he asked her tenderly.

Anne sighed, with a wistful smile. "Oh. I- I suppose it's a lot of things. Oh, nothing wrong," she said quickly. "It's just a lot of things to process at once." She looked into his concerned face and paused thoughtfully. "I accepted the school at Summerside weeks ago- but it's only just hitting me that you're staying on- and that I won't be here with you." she said, her voice low. "I won't be able to check to see if you're tired, or if you're eating enough- I won't be there to hold you when you need me."

Gilbert swallowed hard. "I know. I feel the same. But we knew this would be happening, our eyes have been open to what lies ahead the whole time, sweetheart." he reminded her.

Anne chuckled. "Since when does logical fact have any bearing on _me_ , Gil? I might have known about this from birth and I would still struggle to leave you."

"Good." When she elbowed him, he jumped out of the way with a laugh. "Oh come on, Anne; you _know_ I love to know that you'll be pining away without me."

" _Pining_ away?" she asked dryly. He caught the slight lift of her eyebrows and grinned at her.

"Naturally. You'll probably sit at home every night crying over my picture, and you'll look into my eyes with a languorous smile-" he said teasingly, as she turned to face him with folded arms.

"A _languorous_ smile, Gilbert?"

" _My_ imagination, my word, Miss Shirley-" he said severely. "Stop interrupting. And then you'll be so overcome by living without my heavenly lips that you might some day give the photo a kiss, and try to imagine that it's me. And you'll probably spend all your waking hours so consumed with missing me that you won't get anything done-" He broke off then with a laugh as Anne drew herself up to her full height, her green eyes narrowed.

"Gil, if you honestly think I am going to sit by a window weeping my eyes raw for three years-" she began hotly. He silenced her with a swift kiss.

"Then you wouldn't be the fearless, fiery girl I fell in love with." he said earnestly, all laughter gone. "I swear I was just teasing. I know you better than that, sweetheart. You'll work so hard, and so faithfully- you'll write me long letters that I have a hunch may drive me completely wild; you'll get to know new people, and you'll _live_. I know that." He took her hands in his, his words deliberate. "You have more courage to make new beginnings than I do, Anne. I'm not worried that you won't be able to. And given how I spent our time apart, you might be right to have more doubts about me." he said slowly.

Anne looked at him in shock, trying to gauge what he meant by that. He sighed, with a rueful smile. " _I'm_ the one who didn't take care of myself, who became so consumed by not having you that I stopped living my life, and poured myself into my studies. But even from a distance, I watched you. You didn't ever stop living. I assumed at the time that it meant you didn't care, but I know now that you did. You just had more courage to face life. You have no idea how I admire that in you, Anne. And I know it's what kept you safe all of those years."

Anne looked into his earnest eyes, still speechless. He bent to kiss her again, holding her face in his hands. "Sweetheart, I promise I won't ever do that again. I'll eat and sleep, I'll work to a sensible degree. I'll keep active, and I'll keep my friends close. And you know that I'll work hard. I promise you won't need to worry about me while we're apart. And when the day comes for us to be man and wife, we'll begin all over again as a real family."

Anne put her arms around his neck with a long sigh, unable to respond with words. He'd seen it, as she should have known he would- he knew she would worry. And the worn out Gilbert from a year ago would become a distant memory, of a person he had never truly been. She would trust that. As she pulled away, her grey eyes looked into his own wistfully. She couldn't tell him that she was flinching from their separation as from a blow- she would try to live up to what he believed in her.

He smiled, kissing her lightly freckled nose. He tucked her arm in his, and began the walk home. He wouldn't tell her that he saw it- that he recognised the vulnerability in her eyes at those moments. But as they both walked together, he looked at the girl beside him. They would do this, and they would do it well. And when their wedding day finally arrived, he would never be separated from her again.


	21. Chapter 21, Convocation Part 1

**Chapter 21**

When the day of Convocation dawned, both Anne and Gilbert were awake early. Gilbert stood at his window looking down on the streets below with a far away glance. Today would mark the beginning of another life. He would be moving to his new accommodation in the student halls in September, leaving behind the Saunders and their loving care. Turning to the closet, he saw the two suits his landlady had carefully pressed for the day to come. Gilbert had found her in the laundry room the previous day with as many as ten suits all hanging from a rail, wiping away tears from her eyes. He had walked away softly, not wanting to invade her privacy. Four of the young men who resided in the boarding house would be graduating that day, and he knew that the Saunders would miss them all greatly. Moody would be staying on for another year, and had indicated that his younger brother was considering college as well. His mother had decided that _he_ should be a college professor.

Across town, Anne was tiptoeing down the stairs, and into the kitchen. Breakfast wouldn't be for another hour or so, however, she was hungry and hoped that some bread would help to settle the nerves in her stomach. With that and a small glass of milk in hand, she softly walked to the back door of the house and walked out into the orchard, already warm and fragrant in the early sunshine. Rusty and Joseph had followed her, and she was soon sitting on the rocks, watching them with a smile. In their travels around the house earlier that week, Aunt Jimsie had asked what plans Anne had for her pet- when Anne hadn't had an answer immediately, she had offered to take him back to the Island with the other cats, to the bungalow Stella's father had refurbished for her on his property; saying that her care of his little girl for the last three years had earned his everlasting gratitude.

Anne had been relieved- Dora had been pleading for a kitten, however, Anne doubted that the dark-mooded Rusty was quite what she had in mind. She had considered writing to Cora for help, until the picture of Rusty in Gilbert's childhood home came to mind, making her laugh. No, that alternative would not do, for Gilbert's sake. Now she watched the pair of them run through the orchard, smiling at the thought of them staying together. The wind blew the folds of her pink robe against her skin, and she sighed at the scent of the morning garden. The lemon blossoms were in full bloom, and the wind carried the smell of rain, as it must have done through the night.

To her surprise, the back door opened, and a yawning Priscilla came out similarly attired in her floral robe, and carrying a cup of tea.

"You're a bad influence on me, Anne Shirley. I'm outside in my nightgown." Priss said dryly.

"Freeing, isn't it?" Anne said, with a mischievous smile that made Priscilla laugh.

"Are you nervous?" Priss asked after a moment, taking a sip of her tea.

Anne leant back on her palms on the broad rock and sighed. "More than I thought I would be, yes. And it's silly, We only walk onto the platform." She swung her legs out with a sigh, and continued, almost as if talking to herself, her red hair blowing around her shoulders in the breeze. "Gilbert and I used to talk about what this day would be like all the time, you know. We'd attain our dreams, we'd graduate, and begin our lives. And now that we're actually here-" she stopped, confusedly.

"And you wonder if it will live up to your expectations?" Priss asked shrewdly. At the surprised look on Anne's face, Priss nodded. "I know. Me too. All I keep thinking about is ' _what now_?'"

Anne nodded. "Yes, that's just it. Today is supposed to be the pinnacle of all of our dreams- or it was when I was eighteen. There's a very real ' _real life_ ' waiting just around the bend in the road, and this day will soon pass- we can't hold onto it." she said with a sigh. "I want it to be everything we dreamed of."

"I know what you mean;" Priss said slowly.

Anne watched her carefully. Her tone was light as she spoke, looking out at the sun rising over the park in the distance. "Phil said that Mr Stevens got in safely, yesterday."

Priscilla groaned. "Oh, not you too, Anne. He's here for the wedding, nothing more."

Anne nodded. "Of course, Priss. I'm sorry."

Priscilla shook her head moodily. "It's really nothing. He's become a friend. He wrote me some letters while he was away, and he said he would try and be back for our graduation. That's all."

Anne studied her, as her friend tossed her honey coloured braid over one shoulder, and crossed her arms. A little smile crossed her face. "Priss, do you remember the night we were all awake in the middle of the night reading that letter from Di?"

Priss laughed. "I should think so. You were a mess."

"I was." Anne commented without shame. "I was panicking about developing feelings for a friend, and not at all sure whether he would ever feel the same way about me."

Priscilla sighed. "It's not really the same, Anne." She was silent for a few minutes, and then continued slowly. "You _knew_ he cared about you-"

Anne laughed. "No, I really didn't. _You_ did. And Di, and Stella and Phil, and countless others, but not me. Sometimes it's just like that."

Priss scowled. "Yes, and everyone has such high hopes of this meeting today- it all sounds so romantic- but there are absolutely no grounds for any such expectations that I can see." She seemed to have an internal struggle, before muttering- "I just happen to like him a lot."

Anne smiled at her friend. "Well, Priss, we are graduating today. We're wearing our very best dresses and dancing until midnight tonight, and you will receive the BA you have worked incredibly hard for. And from someone who had absolutely no clue what was going on romantically until she was told to open her eyes- all I would suggest, is that you keep a little hope. He will be there today, and tonight. Maybe he's come back here to see you graduate, and maybe you'll get to see him a little between now and the wedding. Or at the very least, maybe it _is_ a wonderful friendship that will enrich both of your lives. You don't know what is beyond the bend in the road yet, none of us do. Why not believe that the best does?"

Priscilla looked at her friend with a little smile. "Now _that_ sounds like the Anne Shirley I met seven years ago."

Anne got to her feet and pulled her friend up. Arm in arm they headed for the back steps, and Anne caught Priscilla with a conscious little smile on her face.

"What is it?"

Pris shrugged, her cheeks pink, and her look cheeky. "Oh, I was just wondering if Patrick is as handsome as I remember him being."

* * *

An hour and a half before the ceremony, Gilbert arrived on the doorstep of Patty's Place to walk with Anne and the girls. She was downstairs waiting for him while the other girls were still getting dressed, and Aunt Jimsie was arrayed in her best gown running around after them. When she opened the door, the two of them simply stared at each other for a moment, with big smiles on their faces. Without saying anything, Gilbert drew from behind his back a posy, and even before she could see what it was, the smell of the island in the summertime came to greet her as he placed the lilies of the valley in her hands.

"As I promised five years ago." he said lightly, loving the bright smile she gave him over the flowers. Anne set them carefully on the side table, touching the white petals with a gentle hand, before putting her arms around his neck. She gave him a long, sweet look.

"Thank you, my love. They're wonderful."

Gilbert took her hand and led Anne to the sofa, and the two of them sat down with a contented sigh.

"We made it, Anne-girl." he said, with a smile. "This is something I may have dreamed about when we were growing up, but it was never as perfect as this." Anne watched him pull something from his jacket pocket then, and looked up at him in shock.

"You didn't think I'd forget to get you a graduation present, did you?" he teased, loving the way she blushed. He handed Anne the small box. With a quick look at his face, she opened it, and her eyes sparkled as she pulled out a golden locket pendant. She picked it up in her hand and opened it, nearly dropping it when she saw his picture. She gave a glad cry and threw her arms around him, with a sweet laugh.

Gilbert grinned, and swallowed a few times. "It's for next year." he said softly. "You keep telling me that I'm safely in your heart, even if we're away from each other; I figure this is the closest I can actually _be_ to your heart while we're apart."

Anne drew away from him with a smile, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. "Gilbert Blythe, you are as sentimental as I am." she said with a chuckle. "I think you only _pretend_ to be practical."

He laughed. "No, love, I am. You're all of my impracticality all rolled into one." he teased, earning a frown that made him grin. "Anne, you are every bit of romance in my life. If I am that, it's only because of you." He smiled at her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Now, you need something to hang that on, dearest girl. Which brings me to your other present." He pulled out another package, and Anne looked at him curiously.

"This one is from my parents." he said, with a little smile.

Anne opened it with shaking fingers, and inside was a handkerchief, and a fine, gold chain.

"They were both my grandmother's. See the initials?"

Anne picked up the piece of cloth, smiling at the AB that was embroidered on it. "AB? As in my future initials?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, your future ones, but also my grandmother's. Alice Sawyer, who became Alice _Blythe_ ," he said with a grin. "Mother wanted you to have something of hers for your graduation, and she told me she would be sending you her chain- that's when I had the idea for the locket."

Anne was speechless. She now had to blink fast to keep the tears from falling, understanding the love and acceptance that both John and Cora had sent with the little gift. She pulled herself onto his lap with a contented sigh, resting her head against his own.

"It's wonderful, dearest."

Gilbert helped her to put the locket on the chain and put it around her neck, pausing to kiss the ivory skin of her throat. Anne gave a guilty little start, as she heard footsteps on the stairs, and slid back onto the sofa quickly. He chuckled at her fiery face, bending to whisper in her ear.

"Just so you know; when we're married, I'm keeping you on my lap permanently," he said in a low voice, as he turned the greet the girls coming down the old staircase with a big smile.

* * *

Anne's heart was beating wildly, as she sat in her seat towards the back of the graduating classes. Her green dress was now covered in the heavy black robes of the graduates, and Anne smiled in apology at the young man she sat beside, finding the black fabric difficult to control. He could only shrug back, apparently having issues himself in keeping his in place.

She could see the others interspersed through the crowd according to surname, and Charlie, of course, was seated only two places down. He appeared to be pointing out his Dear Nicole to his neighbour, who was sitting a few places behind him as well. Anne caught her eye with a little smile as Nicole smoothed the light brown hair across her forehead. She gave Anne a rather nervous one in return, and Anne nodded at her warmly. She knew that after the ceremony the girl would be presented to Charlie's parents- or more importantly, his formidable mother. She made a mental note to check with Nicole that evening, to see how she had fared.

Anne looked around the large auditorium, with the high arched windows and the Redmond scarlet and white banners along the rafters. She could just make out Stella and Phil's parents in the seats, who were talking socially over the programs and the fans of the ladies. It was warm in the room, and Anne felt her cheeks flushing slightly, wishing she had thought to bring a fan as well. With a jolt in her middle, she saw the Faculty heads and guests ascend the stage, smiling to see Gilbert and the class representatives take their places up there as well.

The ceremony was attended by alumni and visiting dignitaries, and the class fidgeted through long-winded speeches about the promise of a generation raised in the forward thinking of the industrial age, and of the progress that allowed mankind to redeem the mistakes of the past. Anne's eyes were on Gilbert, with a little smile through this. He was nervous himself, although she doubted that anyone else would be able to tell. She let her eyes caress his features, smiling in pride at the way he held himself with confidence and the look of intelligence on his face. She saw him looking through the crowd, grinning as soon as she found her. He winked and rose to his feet as he was introduced, his final speech as the outgoing Student body president. As he took the stand at the lectern Anne smiled, thinking back to the last time she had heard him speak from the platform- on the first day of their senior year. So much had changed- the two of them had travelled a long way together in only nine months. He placed his notes down on the lectern, and with a retrospective smile, he began confidently with the quote she had suggested.

 _"All precious things discovered late,_ _To those that seek them issue forth;_ " he said, his voice firm, his eyes finding the red-headed girl towards the back of the class.

The ceremony seemed to pass in a blur for Anne. When the speeches were done, she watched her as her classmates received their diplomas. Gilbert was one of the first to receive his, and Anne watched him with a face that was like sunshine itself, beaming with love and pride in him. She would need to remember everything to tell Cora- how handsome he looked in his suit and robes, the look on his face as they read out his long list of academic achievements, and the funny face he made at her as he turned from the podium wearing his cap. The way Charlie nodded pompously near Anne, adding his approval to the proceedings. The way the light fell on him as he shook the president's hand, and the sigh of relief he couldn't help giving as he moved back into position on the stage.

Phil was next, and Priscilla- Anne looked out into the audience surreptitiously, and a smile lit her face, looking at the tall, handsome young man sitting next to Jonas and Mr and Mrs Gordon, sitting up eagerly as Priss' name was called. Stella was next, and then Anne took a deep breath. Her head swam slightly, watching the rows of chairs empty before her. At last her name was called, and with knees that suddenly didn't feel so steady, she took her lilies in one hand, and walked to meet Redmond's stately president, who gave her a fatherly smile, and placed on her head the cap she had worked so hard for. When she turned with her diploma in one hand, Gilbert's face was the first one she saw, and he gave her a bright smile that didn't disguise the brimming tears in his eyes.

The moment shifted again, and the graduates were in their seats when the president announced the winner of the Cooper Prize. Gilbert stood by the podium for several minutes while Professor Fredrickson described the work necessary to achieve his goal. There were things that made even Anne's eyes widen in surprise- charities he had been a part of, and tasks he had undertaken outside regular coursework. As the president handed Gilbert the envelope and trophy the audience stood and erupted into loud applause, and Anne stood with them, clapping and wiping happy tears from her face with the handkerchief that had belonged to Gilbert's grandmother.

* * *

Two hours later, Gilbert stood with Anne on the lawns outside the hall, his arm firmly around her waist. He had kept it there through handshakes with the heads of the university, through back-slaps of classmates and the hugs of friends, and through the parade of important people who all wished to speak for a few minutes with the winner of the prestigious Cooper prize. During a rare moment alone after the photographer had finished with them, he took a deep breath and gave Anne a crooked smile.

"I don't think I can do this for much longer." he said with a grin.

Anne chuckled. "Another hour and we can leave, I think. I'm sure there are still a few others who need to meet the handsome young man who has captured everyone's attention today."

"Well you're the only one I want to talk to." he said flatly. He turned around to see someone else approaching, and grinned. "Actually, this one is for you, sweetheart."

An older gentleman coughed gently behind them, and Gilbert turned to greet him with a smile.

"Miss Shirley, I hope I am not intruding." The grey haired gentleman said courteously, and Anne smiled.

"Certainly not. Professor Trelor, I don't believe you have officially met my fiance, Mr Gilbert Blythe."

He chuckled. "I think there are few who don't know this young man's name, Miss Shirley. I can assure you he is the talk of the entire faculty. However, it is you I wish to talk about Miss Shirley, if your young man will grant me the time."

Gilbert smiled proudly, watching Anne.

Professor Trelor turned to her with a big smile. "I wanted to congratulate you myself on a most impressive result. Your work over the past four years has been exceptional, and your results are a true testimony to your hard work and diligence."

Anne blushed at his praise, and Gilbert felt her fingers close around his tightly. He gave her hand a little squeeze in response and turned his attention back to the man speaking.

"You will also be pleased, I know, to find that Mr Gardener has achieved a good result as well, one that he attributes to you, and the work you have done with him over the last few months. I could only wish he had decided to apply himself a little earlier in his academic career. It's obvious to me that teaching is something you love."

Anne laughed. "It is, although I have found that younger students are not always as receptive to instruction as the college variety."

Professor Trelor gave a sardonic chuckle. "You would be surprised at how often we encounter that here as well, Miss Shirley. Students like yourself and Mr Blythe are unique, even in this level of education." He looked at her then, with a small frown. "Although truth be told, I had hoped that your name would become at least as well known as your fiance's, in time," he said. "I do hope you won't regret your decision."

Unseen by Anne Gilbert flicked a startled glance at her, wondering what he had missed. Anne's face was calm, and she smiled at the man who had been overseeing the English department for the whole time she had been at college. She had gotten along with him famously, and he had pushed her to excel throughout her degree.

"I won't. However, I do want to thank you for everything you have done for me, Professor. It's been a wonderful experience."

The older man surprised Gilbert by shaking Anne's hand as he would a colleague, turning to him then to do the same.

"Congratulations, Miss Shirley. I very much hope I will see some of your work, in the future. I wish you both much happiness."

He bowed slightly, and walked away, leaving Gilbert to turn to Anne with an eyebrow raised.

"Do you have something that you want to tell me, _Miss Shirley_?" he asked her. "About turning down an opportunity that I don't know about?"

Anne removed the cap from her head, with a conscious look. "I suppose in the midst of everything else I forgot to tell you." She took a deep breath, hoping that Gilbert would be reasonable.

"Professor Trelor wants me to complete another two years of study," she said slowly. "He wants me to apply to do my Masters, and later a PhD in English Literature."

Gilbert's mouth was open, and his voice came out louder than he intended. "Anne Shirley, are you _crazy_?"

Anne clapped her hand over his mouth. "Shh!" she said crossly. "I _knew_ this would be how you would react!"

"Anne, go back to him right now and tell him that you will reconsider!" he said hotly.

Anne straightened up, her eyes steadily on him. "No, I will not, Gil."

He walked a couple of steps away from her, and turned back, his hands on his slender hips, and his hazel eyes stormy. "Sweetheart, I don't understand. This is your _education_ \- this is what we _fought_ for- a once in a lifetime opportunity! How can you walk away from this?"

"There are other opportunities that are every bit as important." she retorted coolly. "I have considered it from every angle. Would you like to know _why_ I said no, Gilbert?"

He took a deep breath and looked at her. She had a look on her face that he knew well, and he could see in an instant that arguing would be fruitless. Not that he wouldn't try.

"I would need to work for another two years to afford to come here again. You know that the post graduate schooling is more expensive," she said softly. "There are no scholarships I can apply for. And that's _four years_ , during which I am doing nothing towards our future, and working for a PhD that I do not plan to use _._ " He opened his mouth to argue, and she disarmed him immediately by taking his hands in her own. "Unlike you, Gil, I am _not_ studying towards a career. I already have one. I am a teacher, and as you once said, I believe I am a good one." She heard his chuckle and relaxed a little. "And _also_ unlike you, my career is time-limited. I will not be working once we are married, as I fully intend to mother as many children as God will bless us with. Until that point, though, I only have three years. I want to see what I can do for a school in three years. I want to try new methods of education- you know I've been taking courses in that all the way through my Arts degree. I want to make a difference in young people's lives, the way that good teachers did in ours, in the short time that I have." She smiled at him then. "And please don't misunderstand me, Gil, if you walked away from all of this today I would gladly give up teaching as soon as I could, and I would not look back. But since you have things that you need to do for three years, I intend to work."

Gilbert closed his eyes. "Anne, you should be taking every opportunity that you can-" he argued before she put a slender hand over his mouth again. Her eyes twinkled at him mischievously.

"Perhaps. But what if something I ' _should_ ' do isn't what I really want?" she asked. "I've thought about this, Gil. And I said no because it's what is right for me. And because I also believe it is what is right for _us_."

Gilbert grimaced. Anne could see the struggle in him, but she was resolute. He'd never encouraged her to settle before; never given her limitations- it was one of the many reasons she loved him. This was _her_ choice. It was then that he said the one thing that could pierce her resolve.

"Anne, you could have been here in Kingsport. With me," he said falteringly.

She sighed and shook her head. "I thought that at first too. And it nearly convinced me," she admitted softly. "But I soon realised that it wouldn't really be like that. I would have been teaching here already if a position had been available, you know that. I would still need to go away to work first. And by the time I made it back here, you would be nearly through. I would need to transition from Principal to student at a time when I would be only one year away from being your wife. And _that_ is what I want to work towards." she said simply.

He straightened up then, turning away from her for a moment. He rubbed his hands over his face. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly, turning back to study her earnestly. "I would wait for you."

Anne gave him a tender smile. "I know that you would. But is it too hard to believe that my ambitions have changed?"

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his black robes. "Perhaps. I just never saw it coming. I suppose mine have too."

"Oh, really?" Anne teased.

"Yes," Gilbert said frankly. He pulled the cap off his head with a sigh, playing with the tassel. "I want to be a doctor, but more than that, I want to be a husband and father- I don't want to go through the ranks of a hospital, and be so busy that I don't have time for a family. I've heard what happens there. I'll be content to do good work in a community that needs me and to come home to you every night. They've already talked about offering me a fellowship here at Redmond when I'm done- and I don't want it."

Anne looked at him, in some surprise. "Oh."

He grinned at her. "Does this change anything, Miss Shirley?"

She frowned at him then. "Of course not, you goose. I just assumed that you wanted to follow this path wherever it took you. I would go there with you."

Gilbert pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"You're where this path leads, Anne-girl. I'm going to do good work as a doctor- but it's you I want most of all."

She smiled at him then, stroking his cheek with gentle fingers and watching the light that played in his hazel eyes.

 _"And o'er the hills, and far away,_ _Beyond their utmost purple rim,_

 _Beyond the night, across the day,_ _Thro' all the world she followed him."_ she quoted softly. "And I promise that I will, Gilbert, wherever you go."

Gilbert put the black cap back over her red curls and stood with a smile while she adjusted his.

"Are you ready to head back to the adoring masses?"

Anne looked across the lawn and smiled. "Aunt Jimsie is waving us over, and I can see the girls and Charlie nearby. And- oh- Mr and Mrs Sloane are with him."

Gilbert looked down at her, pulling his arm around her waist. "So we should go and greet our fellow Islanders?"

Anne looked at the little group with a sigh, and back to Gilbert. She turned in his arms to adjust the tie showing at the top of his robes and smiled at him in satisfaction. "Of course. You'd better be on your best behaviour then, Mr Blythe. You wouldn't want them taking tales home to Marilla and your parents of our inability to behave."

Gilbert's grin was cheeky, and he wrapped his arms around her with a brazen kiss on the lips.

A pink-cheeked Anne began to laugh, seeing the horrified look on Almira Sloane's face even at a distance.

Gilbert shrugged, pulling her arm through his with a wicked grin. "I don't care what anyone thinks today but _you_ , sweetheart. Today is the fulfilment of so many of our dreams, and we are going to _celebrate_. And if you think anything is going to keep me from showing the world how I feel about you, then you are _utterly_ mistaken."

Anne laughed, and the two of them walked towards the group, towards Phil and her Reverend Jo, Stella standing arm in arm with her parents, a nervous, dark-haired young man with an unusually shy Priscilla, her cheeks as pink as the dress she wore; and Aunt Jimsie looking at all of them in pride. Anne looked around at the group, and then at the man who held onto her possessively. She held Gilbert's eyes then with a saucy glance, and a flirtatious wink that almost made him trip over his robes in surprise.

Gilbert was right, as usual.

Today was worth breaking some rules.


	22. Chapter 22, The Convocation Ball

**Chapter 22**

It was nearing seven o clock that evening when Anne walked down the staircase at Patty's Place to meet the others. She held the train of her gown off the floor carefully, and walked across to stand with the girls, and a watery-eyed Aunt Jimsie. She had been in her element ordering the young women around, from enforced afternoon naps with cool wash cloths, to the plentiful tea she insisted that they sit down to at four o clock in the afternoon. She would be heading out herself that evening with both Stella and Phil's parents, who had decided to celebrate the achievements of their girls and the wedding to come.

Stella reached out a hand to brushed the golden lace that swept across Anne's shoulders.

Phil smiled. "Didn't Mrs Spencer do a marvellous job?"

Anne looked down at the satiny skirts with a smile of satisfaction. It was a lovely dress, and Diana's impeccable colour choice showed to full effect in the pale gold that swirled around her.

"She did a wonderful job on yours, as well," Anne commented, admiring the deep teal green of Phil's elaborate gown.

Aunt Jimsie sniffed. "You look lovely, my dears. Although aren't you all going to get cold? Would you like shawls?" she said, dubiously looking at the low necklines on all of their dresses.

Stella chuckled. "This is how they are all worn now, Auntie. And no doubt some will wear them much lower. We do look nice, if we may say that about ourselves. Although none of the rest of you had your dress picked out by your _mother_." she said with a little grimace.

This made all of the girls giggle. It had come as a complete surprise to meet Mrs Maynard several years ago- a wonderfully affectionate mother who had a very soft place for her only daughter, and coddled her darling girl as if she was still seven. Anne had wanted to chuckle, seeing the independent Stella reduced again to childhood, as her mother almost crushed her diploma in her attempt to take her daughter in her arms at every opportunity that day. Stella had submitted to it with reasonable grace, protesting only when her mother attempted to pinch her cheeks to give her some more color. Anne's eyes twinkled, though. When no one else had been looking, Stella's face had broken into an unconscious smile, and she kissed her mother on the cheek as impulsively as she must have done when she was younger, making her mother laugh. Despite the differences in their personalities, Anne knew that Stella loved her sweet mother very much.

Priscilla shook her lilac coloured skirts out with a smile. "I've told you that you should wear pink more often Stella, you look absolutely wonderful. And the dress is so stylish!"

There was a knock at the door then, and Aunt Jimsie opened it to greet two young men. Jonas was waiting with a big smile, and in the shadows, Patrick Stevens was standing, as if unsure that he should be there. Phil ushered both of the men in, keeping up a steady stream of chatter designed to make everyone feel at ease. Patrick was courteous to everyone, and Anne hid a smile, noticing that he could meet everyone's eye except Priscilla's. Priscilla's colour was high, however she was handling the situation wonderfully.

There was a little unease as they looked at the clock, as Gilbert was supposed to have been there by now. Aunt Jimsie left instructions to lock up the house as Stella's father arrived to lead her to their carriage, and Anne suggested that the rest of the party leave, saying that she and Gilbert would no doubt only be a few minutes behind them. Phil looked at Jo, and said decidedly that they would give him a few more minutes to arrive so that everyone could stay together. Anne smiled, feeling some unease herself. Being late would be no problem, although what could possibly be keeping him?

It was only when a reluctant Jonas said that they should be going, that an out of breath Gilbert arrived at the front door. He was met with much teasing, and as his breathing steadied he grinned, suggesting that he and Anne would only be a short distance behind them, if the others could give them a moment. Anne's mouth curved into a little smile. His hair had obviously suffered on the walk over, and she could see that his tie was slightly askew. She waved to the others, and drew him inside, running her fingers through his brown curls to tidy them. Gilbert was so apologetic about his lateness that he had not immediately noticed the way that she looked. Now breathless for a completely different reason, his face lit up as he looked into her smiling face.

She was _stunning_. The gold dress clung to her figure most distractingly, the milky colour of her skin glowing next to the soft gold satin. He traced his fingers over and underneath the little lacy sleeves, the sleeves that just barely separated the whiteness of her shoulders from those of her slender arms. His locket lay on her breast, and in the hair smoothed into a low knot on the nape of her neck, he saw the gold combs he had given her for her birthday. She was golden from head to foot, and her eyes sparkled with beautiful green intensity. He shook his head, yet again finding himself oddly wordless.

"I assume that's a good silence?" she said lightly, and he smiled, running his hands along the smoothness of her waist.

"I don't quite know what to say." He swallowed, with a little chuckle. "I- I can't get my thoughts together."

Anne's smile was big, and she caressed his chin with her hand. "I hope only good thoughts."

Gilbert gave a shamefaced laugh. "I'm not so sure about that," he muttered. "Right now all I'm thinking about is how long it would take us to get to your bedroom."

Anne's cheeks were fiery, and her eyelashes were low on her cheeks. She focused instead on his tie, and Gilbert sighed, wishing he had kept his mouth shut. He was all the more surprised when she had finished, she raised herself up to kiss him deeply. When she was done, she held his face in her hands, and rested her forehead against hers.

"I am too." she admitted, barely above a whisper.

Gilbert's grin was huge, and he turned her towards the door. "Alright. I suggest that we leave immediately, Miss Shirley."

They could still see the others in the distance as Anne locked the door, placing the key carefully into the bag she carried. Gilbert offered her his arm, and the two of them set out into the night.

"By the way, what made you so late, darling?" Anne asked.

Gilbert chuckled. "Charlie. He had some drama with his suit again, and Mrs Saunders wasn't on hand to fix it. Moody got him straightened out, and almost had his head taken off for the privilege."

* * *

It was to a gentle waltz that Gilbert led Anne onto the dance floor that evening, and as he held her in his arms he smiled, thinking back to his nerves at the Hannerford Ball. No more uncertainty, no more hiding his feelings- and it was _his_ pearl ring that was in place on her left hand. Her dance card swung from her slender wrist, making him chuckle. Anne had suggested that he could afford to be more generous with his dances this time, and he had grudgingly cut the number down to three, threatening to spirit her away for a fourth if he needed to. Others had requested a dance with her, and as they stood waiting for the music to begin, Royal Gardener had approached with a young woman on his arm to greet the two of them. He introduced Anne as a classmate and his tutor, and Gilbert as her fiance.

Anne smiled warmly at the nervous young woman. Penelope Keaton was slight and pretty with dark brown hair, and she smiled shyly at the woman that Roy had told her so much about. After the four of them had conversed for a few minutes, Roy bowed and slightly stiffly requested Anne's hand for the third dance. She accepted with a pleasure that only deepened, watching Gilbert courteously ask for Penelope's for the same dance. The two of them walked away then, and Anne turned to Gilbert with a satisfied smile.

"She's _lovely_ , Gil. Exactly the kind of woman he needs, I believe," she said quietly.

Gilbert quirked an eyebrow. "Just how can you tell in so short a time?"

Anne laughed. "Call it intuition. She's genuinely sweet, and he is very comfortable with her- well, for Roy," she said drolly, making him chuckle. "And did you hear what she said? They grew up together."

The music that evening was enjoyable, and for the first half of the evening, Anne and Gilbert were engaged at every dance. Gilbert had requested the hands of the girls who were like sisters to him, and he shared a particularly amusing turn with Stella, who was actively trying to avoid Jack Anderson.

"We fought like cats and dogs for most of this year, I can't imagine why he wants to dance now." Stella hissed crossly as she ducked behind him, gathering her train in one hand and making Gilbert laugh. He only laughed harder at the end of the dance when Jack himself approached, and with a stern look in his eye plucked Stella's card from her hand, and wrote his name in for the dance after supper that evening. Wordlessly he handed the card back to a Stella nearly speechless with indignation- whom Gilbert noticed never actually refused the dance. Jack stalked off then, and Gilbert was still laughing when Stella regained her voice and prepared to let it fly. He held up a hand to her in protest.

"Stella, sometimes you have to give a fellow a break," he said with a charming grin. "Not all of us were born knowing how to talk to women."

Stella scowled at him. "I would expect that from someone who greeted his future wife by calling her _Carrots_."

His smile was huge. "Well, it worked, didn't it?"

In the meantime, Anne had been getting to know young Mr Stevens. He was well read and intelligent, and she could understand why Priscilla had enjoyed talking with him so many months ago. Priscilla was whirling around the room with one of her classmates from the Classics department, and Anne noticed his eyes wistfully following the progress of the girl in lavender around the floor. He gave a blush when he saw that he had been caught looking. She didn't wish to draw attention to his embarrassment and asked him instead to tell her of his work in the church, and the orphanage in Japan it supported. His eyes lit up, and he and Anne spent the dance talking about his plans for the place that was a second home to him- including removing the stigma of an institution from the home, to make a _true_ home for the young children. In response to his questions, Anne spoke briefly of her own experiences, and Patrick was deeply moved by such a personal account of life in such a place.

When the dance was finished, most of the party stood talking while the orchestra held a short break, and Gilbert came straight to Anne's side, seeing in her eyes a few unshed tears. She gave a small laugh, assuring him that all was well. When Priscilla stepped beside the two of them, Anne couldn't resist grabbing her hand in her own.

" _Marry him_." she said in a droll undertone and chuckled when Priscilla's nose went into the air.

"If he ever gets beyond looking at me across a distance, I might consider it." she hissed back, coming to an abrupt halt when Patrick _did_ , in fact, turn to her, asking her for the next dance. If Priscilla's face was a little red, she accepted graciously, with a slightly panicked look at Anne.

Gilbert put his arm around her then. "How are you?" he said to her quietly.

Her smile was bright. "Wonderful, Gil. It's one of the happiest days I have ever had- although I do expect happier times to come," she said with a smile. Gilbert took a look at her dance card.

"Ah. You have Mr Gardner next."

Anne nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. "He sent me flowers today, you know. Violets."

Gilbert looked at her, a little smile on his face. "Oh?"

"To say thank you for the tutoring. Priscilla is wearing some of them in her hair tonight."

"I see. Now, I believe you and I have another dance after Roy," he said thoughtfully. "Would you care to take a stroll in the moonlight instead?"

Anne gave him a twinkling look. "I believe my dance card is full, Mr Blythe," she said, unregretfully.

The hand that was on her waist tightened suddenly, making her jump with a little giggle.

"I'm fairly certain I know your partner for that dance. He says it's alright." Gilbert said, his low voice vibrating against her ear. Anne laughed.

"Well, I should warn you that my partner is very possessive." she returned cheekily. "However since you insist, I will accompany you, good sir."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow at her with a grin. "It's just as well that you agreed. I was going to be taking you anyway."

* * *

When Roy came to collect Anne and handed Penelope to Gilbert with a little bow, Roy led her to the floor carefully. Much had changed between them since the last time they had danced, and there was an ease that had not been there in times past. It was a minute before he said anything, and when he did Anne looked up, startled.

"You know, in another life, this might have been you and I, together." he said quietly.

Anne nodded. "I suppose it could have been."

He smiled then, and looked down at her. "I wanted to tell you something before you left. You were- right." Anne looked at him in surprise. He continued with a gentle look. "You inadvertently have inspired a time of great change for me, and I feel this last year will influence the way I choose to conduct my business in later life."

Anne found her voice at this point. "I hope it has been a positive one, Roy."

"It has been." He seemed to struggle to voice some thoughts, and Anne saw his eyes stray across the room to Penelope, now in conversation with Gilbert. His cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat. "We- erm, we used to play tea parties together," he said trying to maintain a formal tone, and he smiled slightly when Anne began to laugh in surprise. This seemed to loosen his tongue a little, and he continued. "When we were children, I mean. Penelope's father often had business with mine, and when I would be taken to her house, or she mine, we would have- tea."

Anne shook her head in amazement, not wanting to offend him by any thoughtless comment, not when he was sharing so openly. "And- and were you close when you were older?" she asked after a minute.

Roy's face was regretful. "No. I believe I told you that that often doesn't last as children grow up in my circle."

Anne let a breath out and nodded. "Boys and girls can't be friends," she said, remembering. She looked up at him, hoping he would continue.

"My parents often have large parties over Christmas;" he said slowly. "Last year I was attempting to find some solitude from the noise in my father's library, and unexpectedly came across Penelope, who was reading and being served tea in a remote corner." He smiled. "It turns out that our butler has been doing that for her in our home for years."

Anne's smile was bright. "And the two of you had a tea party?"

Roy's pale cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Anne was afraid he was offended until he gave a short nod, and a sheepish smile lit up his face.

As they waltzed, Anne watched him with a gentle look on her face.

"Is she _home_ to you, Roy?"

Roy looked up guardedly and took a deep breath in. "I am not certain," he said softly. "But I would like to think so."

Unexpectedly Anne felt some tears come to her eyes. "I want to wish you every happiness, Roy."

The music came to an end at that moment, and Roy gave her a stately bow. As he straightened, he took her hand, his voice low. "If I have found it, I believe I owe that to you. Thank you."

Gilbert approached with Penelope, and he handed her to Roy with a bow of his head. Roy turned at once to the two of them.

"I understand you are returning here in September, Gilbert," he said, calling him by his name for the first time. "It may be that we will run into each other then."

Gilbert shook his hand. "I'll look forward to it, Roy."

Roy turned to Anne, with a smile. "Thank you, Anne. Your students will be most fortunate to have you. I wish you both well."

Gilbert gave Anne a long look after they had gone, and smiled. He took Anne's hand and the two of them walked outside and down the old steps. Gilbert led her to the seat under the trees, and the two of them sat in silence in the cool moonlight without speaking for long minutes. Gilbert took her in his arms then and looked into her upturned face.

"Are you happy, Anne-girl?"

She smiled up at him and brought his face close to her own.

"Wonderfully happy, dearest."

Gilbert gave her a grin. "In just one week we'll be at a wedding, Anne. And two more days after that we'll be at home. The spruce barrens, Hester's garden-"

"Lovers Lane, and our apple tree-" she said with a smile.

"Picnics along the shore, and the deepest part of the haunted wood where no one can find us-" Gilbert murmured. Anne sighed at his closeness and pulled herself into his arms to kiss him. He pressed her closer to him, his hand cupping the back of her head firmly, and she sighed at his touch, the way his lips moved against her own softly. When she pulled away it was to catch her breath and to rest her head against his firm shoulder.

"Well. I do look forward to that," she said with a conscious smile. "And I am tempted to suggest leaving earlier tonight like we did last time. However-"

" _However_ ," Gilbert said with a loving look. "Back then that was for a specific purpose; for us to talk, for me to finally tell you that I loved you."

"And that I loved _you_."

"Exactly. We don't need to do that now. And we know we only have a short time left with our friends before we go home."

Anne sighed, and Gilbert pulled her to her feet and into his arms, loving the feel of her body against his. "We still have a few minutes to spare, Gil. Let's go for a walk in the moonlight before we join everyone else."

It was half past eleven when the party walked home, talking blithely of the classmates they would not be seeing again, and the wedding they would all be attending in just a week's time. As the night drew to a close Gilbert and Anne walked outside to say goodnight. He told her again how beautiful she was, how much he had enjoyed the day spent at her side. Seeing Patrick talking to Priss in the doorway, Gilbert drew Anne around the side of the little house, and he looked into the big grey eyes that drew him like a magnet. She pulled him to her longingly, and it seemed to Gilbert that he was drowning in her sweetness, her body close to his own. He pressed her passionately against the cobblestone bricks then and kissed her sweet mouth and her white throat, her little sighs and whispered endearments melting him. It was with an effort that he finally pulled himself away some minutes later, and the two of them rested their foreheads against the other.

"Maybe Mrs Lynde should supervise our walks at home, dearest," Anne said with a breathless chuckle.

Gilbert touched her soft lips with a grin. "At this point, I doubt it would make much of a difference. Still, if it keeps me honourable, we can try." He kissed her then firmly on either cheek, finishing with a lingering one on her lips, and the two of them walked to the front of the house again. She walked up the stairs and looked at down at him with a big smile, darling little red curls coming out of the elegant knot of hair. He waved his hand to her and was gone, to walk home in the moonlight.

* * *

After midnight, Gilbert entered the door of his boarding house and pulled his tie off with a big smile. It was over now. He had won- he had achieved his desire and had Anne's love. He thought longingly of finding his bed, the music of the evening still echoing in his mind as he walked through the hallway.

He saw a light on in the laundry and frowned. He walked to the back of the house and saw Mrs Saunders standing over a sink, curiously immobile.

"I didn't think anyone else would be up right now." he said cheerfully.

He almost turned to go, until the good lady's silence made him pause. "Mrs Saunders?"

She lifted her head, and he recoiled at the look on her face. The cheer and happiness of the night seemed to flee, and he found himself afraid to ask what was wrong.

Gilbert watched her take a deep breath, pausing to rub her hand across red-rimmed eyes. "Gilbert, Timothy won't be coming back to study."

He nodded, confused. "I know that. His exams would have finished last week."

A spasm seemed to cross her face. "He didn't sit them."

Gilbert froze. "But- but he worked so hard- what happened?"

She shook her head, and walked past Gilbert into the big old kitchen, with the comforting aromas coming from the stove, and heavy copper saucepans hanging from hooks on the wall. The kettle was boiling, and she was silent while she lined up five stoneware mugs on the table. Gilbert watched her blankly. The mugs that she kept ready when the young men arrived home from a late night, filled with hot chocolate, and a tea for him that she never failed to remember. She would send him upstairs soon as she always did, and he stood by silently, not wanting the answer to the question he knew that he must ask.

"What happened to him?" he asked through stiff lips.

"He took sick three weeks ago." She said, her big forehead creased in an effort to not cry. "His- his aunt said to tell you how much they appreciated the way you tried for him."

Gilbert refused to take the mug she held out. "But Timothy- is he alright now?" he asked, his voice wooden. He already knew the answer.

"He died this morning."

Gilbert's face crumpled, and he slammed his hand on the kitchen table, wincing with the pain as he turned away. "He was just a kid," he said hoarsely. He turned back to Mrs Saunders. "I'm sorry- I shouldn't have- I just-" he choked. He drew in a shaking breath. "What was it?" he asked, finally.

Mrs Saunders rounded the table, putting a weathered hand on his shoulder. "It was typhoid fever," she said, her face old. "I'm sorry. I thought you needed to know so that you didn't go there." She put the mug in his shaking hands and said gently- "You need to sleep, Gilbert. There's nothing more that anyone could have done. The funeral is on Monday."

Gilbert nodded, his mouth quivering when she pulled him into a short hug. He swallowed several times and eventually nodded. He turned to go into the hallway and was nearly at the stairs when he heard her voice, subdued. Gilbert turned to her, seeing only her outline in the light of the kitchen.

"Were you around there recently?"

Gilbert shook his head, his brow constricted. "No. I haven't seen him in about five weeks," he said dully.

"Well, that's- better," she said then, with a small sigh. "At least you're safe then. Goodnight, Gilbert."

He turned to walk up the stairs, feeling older than he had when he walked in through the doors just a short time ago. Such a short time- such a short _life_. Unconsciously his steps took him towards his room, for the privacy to grieve that he needed.

At the topmost step though, in the patch of cold moonlight coming through the dusty window, Gilbert suddenly stopped, as if turned to stone. The cup slipped out of his hands, bouncing down the creaking staircase as if in slow motion, breaking on the final step. Every terrible fear, every inconceivable agony and piercing dread seemed to rise up inside of him, as one person alone wiped every other thought from his mind-

 _Anne._


	23. Chapter 23, Hope and Fear

**Chapter 23**

Somehow, he must have slept.

When the faint rays of sunrise began to fill the room he was at his desk, straining to see the finely printed text in the grey morning light. The box of new textbooks had been frantically torn into the night before, and packaging was strewn across the usually tidy room. Gilbert dropped the book on his desk again and pushed himself back from it dully. There wasn't enough to go by. As he rose to get dressed, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Roughly shaven, and with haunted eyes that hadn't met him in over a year. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to think. It was Saturday. The library would be open for cleaning, he had heard Mrs Falson say that yesterday. He would be there when it was.

Several hours later, Gilbert arrived back at the boardinghouse exhausted, his mind finally beginning to work again. He'd enlisted the help of the library staff, he'd gone to the faculty head for the sciences to request specific information. In his hand, he held frantically copied notes, and a sheaf of papers he was under solemn oath to mail back as soon as possible. He hadn't given them much explanation, but then he hadn't needed to. If the overly zealous winner of the prestigious Cooper prize needed information for extracurricular study, then the university was content to supply it. He'd write to Uncle Dave, and then he'd have a bath and shave. He needed to do that much. And he would simply handle this.

Gilbert took himself to the washroom, locking the door firmly behind him, and pulling the faded calico curtains closed. A short while later he lay back in the big bathtub in the dim light and put his hands up to cover his wet face miserably. Why now? How could this happen _now_? He sank as deeply in the water as he could, his eyes closing in defeat. His precious, precious girl- in danger because of _him_. How could he have been so blind? Wasn't there something he should have done to prevent this?

There was a burning in his eyes then, as he thought about Anne standing on those stone steps last night, her hair gleaming in the lamplight, and the train of the golden dress held off the ground in her slim fingers. He shook his brown head stubbornly. Surely the awful reality of typhoid was laughable next to his sweet girl, surely she couldn't- and then his breath caught terribly, at the memory of the old letters he had once held in his hands. Bertha Shirley had once been just as alive, doting on her husband and daughter. And yet typhoid had taken her, leaving his beloved girl an orphan at the hands of those who would mistreat her.

Hadn't she suffered enough? Hadn't they _all_ suffered enough?

Unconsciously a sob broke from his throat, and it was with vicious energy that he sat up to wash himself, heedless of the water than sloshed onto the floor as he did so, as if determined to scrub the very possibility from his skin. He wouldn't let it happen.

An hour later he stood in his room in his shirtsleeves and threw all of the notes into the box beside his bed. He would need to begin packing tomorrow, to pull down from the attic his great trunk and clear out his room. He had a meeting with Dr Edmonds on Tuesday morning, and until then, he would simply stay by her side.

* * *

At one in the afternoon, Gilbert stood at the gate of Patty's Place with a reluctance he had never had before. Doubts suddenly assailed him. Would he know what to say to her about Timothy? Would she know as soon as she looked at him that something was wrong? He had to tell her, she had to know what had happened. It was then that he noticed the raised voices, as he walked up the garden path. With a shaking hand, he opened the door, knowing that at this time of day it would not be locked.

Immediately a streak of lightning crossed his view, and a bemused Gilbert gradually became aware that it was Anne herself, pursued by someone. Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes sparkling, and Gilbert watched her with a slight feeling of unreality. Had he somehow taken a blow to the head? _Was_ he crazy? In the time it took for Anne to realise that he was there, he brought himself back to reality, and made his decision.

When she darted past him his arm shot out to catch her easily, and he brought her to him with a grin he knew would be convincing.

"Just who are we running from, Miss Shirley?"

He could feel her heart pounding against his as she threw her arms around him, laughter bubbling up. "Phil got bored of packing, and apparently ransacked each room. She took something from each of us- and I suspect I know what she took from me." She pulled him into the little dining room with a laugh. "I took something of hers in order to have something to bargain with, and she's storming around trying to find it." From behind her Anne produced a battered old teddy bear, and Gilbert grinned. "Stella ran off with her shoes, and I have a feeling that Priscilla was going for her new hat."

Finally in her presence, Gilbert felt a calmness descend on him. He pulled her into his arms closely and held her for several minutes, without speaking. Anne was a little puzzled at his intense manner, and eventually pulled away. She looked into his eyes, her red head tilted on one side, studying him intently. He forced himself to be still, to meet her gaze calmly.

 _Breathe, Blythe. Just breathe._

Eventually she smiled at him, her voice soft. "I'm so glad you came. I thought you might be too busy packing up to come today."

He held her around the waist, looking at her critically. "I'm only packing up one room, not a house like you girls. And besides, I'm taking some things to store at the student accommodation for next year, things I won't need until September. I'm not taking everything home."

Anne's eyes twinkled at him. "I'll bet the medical textbooks are coming home with you though."

Gilbert didn't meet her eyes then, bringing her hands up to kiss them. "Correct," he said lightly. "Would you mind if I got underfoot today? You can put me to work if you like."

Anne smiled at him. "Of course, Gilbert. You'll stay for dinner, won't you?"

His arms slipped around her middle again, and he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything."

Gilbert stepped back from her suddenly, when an enraged Phil stomped into the room, demanding Mr Snuffles back. He grinned watching his fiancee's red curls bouncing on her slim shoulders, as she ran around the table bargaining with her friend, and inside a sense of purpose covered him. She was well- she was happy. There was no sense in saying anything. He just had to wait it out. There was only the slightest chance- he swallowed suddenly, shaking off the thought of her parents. He watched her clutch the teddy bear to her chest, and hold her hand out demanding what had been taken from her, with a knowing grin. Phil appeared to be advancing on her, and Anne darted with a laugh into her lover's arms, and he tightened them around her protectively. He gave Phil a grin that he didn't feel and watched her walk from the room in a huff.

Gilbert didn't release her immediately, and she leant her head back to rest against his chest. His hands stroked her waist until Anne turned to him, her eyes on his thoughtfully.

"You seem tired, love," she said softly, making him start. "Didn't you sleep well?"

The night spent tossing and turning in agony crossed his mind, and he couldn't suppress the ghost of a smile.

"I guess I didn't." There was an unwelcome welling behind his eyes, and he tried with little success to clear his throat. "I- had too much on my mind. Yesterday was wonderful- it was like a dream come true. But there- there is a tomorrow." He shook his head, not wanting to continue.

Anne's hands cupped his cheeks to look at him steadily. "I know. And at times it will probably be harder than we know. But after all those _tomorrows_ will come a day that will make everything worth it. And we will never part again."

Gilbert's jaw clenched. "Promise?" he said, his voice rough. Anne smiled at him tenderly.

"I _promise_."

It was with a shaky laugh that he pressed his forehead to her own. "I'm holding you to that, Anne-girl."

* * *

After much bargaining and fruitless searching around the house, Phil was made to hand over the captured items, and in return received back Mr Snuffles and her shoes. Priscilla announced that she would hold onto the hat for the rest of the day, to ensure that there would be no more mischief. Anne took her journal from Phil with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you happen to-?"

Phil rolled her eyes. "No, I _didn't_. I'm getting married in a week, if you kill me before then it may sour the celebration a little." she quipped. As she turned to climb the stairs, Gilbert turned to Anne with a quizzical look. Anne's face flushed, and she held the book a little tighter in one hand. With her other she held his, leading him outside into the warm sunshine before flopping down on the long grass. Gilbert followed her down to the ground with a sigh, leaning down to kiss her lightly.

"So what was all that about?" he asked.

Anne chuckled, and Gilbert smiled, enjoying her relaxation. "Oh, Phil is a little restless, I believe. With only a week to go until her wedding, she has been quite funny to watch- although Aunt Jimsie says she must be possessed." Anne turned on her side to face him with a big grin. "I realised something when I was watching her yesterday, dearest. She is nothing less than a female version of _you_. I'm sure in our school days, that she would have caused nearly as much trouble as you did."Gilbert exclaimed at that, and Anne laughed cheekily. "You must see the similarities, Gil. Those brown curls, and that _tormenting_! Not to mention the mathematical genius you both share. I mentioned that to Jonas during the dance last night, and he laughed quite immoderately."

He chuckled, pulling her into his arms. "And so are you and _he_ alike?"

Anne put her head on one side. "We both like cherry jam," she said solemnly, and he snorted in derision.

"Practically identical, then."

"Well…." she said with a mischievous grin. "We do so love those who have brown curls, and we _adore_ the very ones who would torment their nearest and dearest all the days of their lives. Such I assume is my future," she added placidly, with a contented look.

Quickly Gilbert leant in to press a kiss to the nape of her neck, and to bury his face in the soft folds of her blouse. "It will be."

The two of them talked undisturbed for over an hour before Gilbert brought up the little book Phil had stolen.

"So is this the kind of book I'm able to see?" he teased.

Anne stroked his hair with her long fingers. "I think so. But maybe not yet."

He looked at her in some surprise, as a deep blush covered her face. There was a shy look that he loved shining in her grey eyes.

"It's a journal, of sorts, I suppose."

Gilbert's twisted smile was on his face, and he reached a hand up to brush her cheek. "Sweetheart, you know I wouldn't invade your privacy in such a way, I'm teasing you."

Anne smiled. "I know, Gil. And yet I think you will read it one day. It's filled with a lot of things. Little ideas I want to write, things I want to remember, and thoughts that I haven't fully processed yet. I guard it quite carefully, as you can imagine; Phil and Stella can be such imps."

He sat up, giving a look of surprise. "Stella too?"

" _Stella_ was the one who found a short poem I had written, and read it aloud from the top of the staircase for all to hear," Anne said dryly.

Gilbert choked slightly. "Oh? And what was the subject for that one?"

Anne groaned. "Oh, it may sound familiar to you. Something about the ruin of friendship and the despair of love dead or forsaken."

Gilbert's eyebrows flew up in shock. "Right- just when did that one get written?"

She gave him a smile that was self-mocking. "I'll let you guess, Gil."

He smiled at her then, pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Did she realise what she was reading?"

Anne chuckled. "No, she assumed I was attempting to write something for Professor Greaves. He is well known in the English department for despising happy endings, and insisted that we all see the beauty of a tragedy."

Gilbert hugged her tightly, his voice firm. "There's tragedy enough in the world. We need more of those who will see and write beauty, I believe."

Anne sighed. "Well, I think so too. In any case, I lost my temper at Stella in quite an absurd manner, especially since she had no idea what she was stumbling into. Scraps of paper found lying around do tend to make me very nervous now-" she unexpectedly began to laugh, and Gilbert sat back from her in astonishment, watching her in kinks of laughter on the warm grass. At the stunned look on his face, she gave another choke, as she attempted to sober herself. "Oh, Gil, I'd forgotten this. Davy once came up behind me while I was writing, and picked up a piece of paper from beside my chair, he then proceeded to ask me what it meant. I'd been having trouble trying to describe someone in a story- no, not Averil- and since Professor Hamilton at Queens had suggested that I first try to describe those whom I knew _well_ -"

Gilbert grinned. "Oh? And just who did you describe?"

Her blush was deep, and she giggled again. "You, of course, darling. It was late one afternoon, and I was sitting deep in the haunted wood- all the better to cover my embarrassment, I suppose. Once I got into the rhythm of it, I waxed lyrical about your hair, and your figure, and spent nearly half a paragraph on your smile. Then I tried to describe what it would be like for someone who looked like you to kiss someone- and then I completely shocked myself when I- er somewhat accidentally pictured you doing it to _me_."

Gilbert pulled her up to sit cross-legged opposite him, with a triumphant smile on his face. "Anne _Shirley_ ; and you never thought to tell me about that?"

"Well, if I wasn't admitting it to myself, Gil, you can't honestly think I would admit it to you!"

He shrugged charmingly. "If you had I would have done it."

She laughed again. "Indeed. In any case, I thought I'd destroyed the paper, and of _course_ that would be the one Davy picked up- he wanted to know what I was describing a man's chest for." She groaned, burying her head in her hands. "And then he asked Marilla what a 'muscular torso' looked like, and if it was a good thing to have one. I thought Marilla was going to pass out from the shock, and I confess that I had that note in the fire before she could even recover."

Gilbert was laughing fit to kill, and Anne smiled at him. " _Well_. I'm completely flattered, Anne-girl. But no wonder you don't like others reading your papers."

Anne was serious in a heartbeat. "No, I do- but only when they are invited to. Being caught unaware is what I dislike the most- people should only read your work when you invite them in."

Gilbert put a hand on her cheek. "Then I will await your invitation," he said in a gentle voice.

Anne smiled at him lovingly. "Truthfully Gil, there is much you could read right now- some of them are thoughts I've had over the last year- the poem that I had published about us began in one of my notes." She turned through the hastily scrawled pages thoughtfully, stopping at a little red ribbon. She held it out to him, and he took the book with a quick look at her. There was a cut-out version of the printed poem, but underneath it lay a few lines that he remembered, with a little smile.

"This is incredible, sweetheart."

Anne smiled and turned to a back page. Gilbert frowned comically, reading the inexplicable words, _Dear Gilbert-_. "Er- Anne? Why were you were telling me you were joining the foreign legion?" he said, bewildered.

She laughed at his confusion. "It was the day after I received the letter from Diana-"

"Which one? She writes you constantly."

"No, Gil, _the_ letter. I was completely undone by her telling me in no uncertain terms that I loved you- and I wrote some rather ridiculous letters to try to process it all. And to tell you I was leaving the country."

"Ah. That explains the legion, I assume. And the- you were being exiled to the Baltic states by the university? _Really_ , Anne? That was the best that you could come up with?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed. "Well, I had to think of _something_. And if I remember correctly, I told Diana she'd gone mad in one of them."

Gilbert turned the page, grinning when he came across that one. He smiled then, seeing the last, written in tiny letters along the bottom of the page. _Dear Gilbert- I love you._

"It's dated a week before the Hannerford Ball," he commented and smiled. "Why, Anne, we could have had another week." he teased.

Anne moved closer to him to lay her satiny cheek on his shoulder, and she looked at the book in his lap. "No, I think I _needed_ that week, dearest," she said slowly. "Can you imagine what could have happened if you read that before I had a chance to process it?"

Gilbert was startled, and he stared out into the orchard. "I suppose you might have run from me," he said in a soft voice.

Anne sighed. "Yes. It's what I meant about there being a right _timing_. Some are thoughts I haven't worked through fully- or even haven't worked through it at all."

Gilbert closed the book carefully and handed it to her, and kissed the top of her head. "Then it can easily wait." He looked thoughtfully at her sweet face.

"So maybe there are some recent thoughts you haven't yet processed?"

Anne nodded. "Yes. Some little, some bigger- all will just take time, I suppose."

She buried her slightly pink face in his shirt, and Gilbert smiled cheekily. "Thoughts about _me_?"

She returned his look lovingly. "Some."

"I hope only good thoughts?" he said innocently, echoing her words from the previous night with a grin.

Anne was looking out at the garden and away from him, and her face was warm as she watched the pines blowing lazily in the sunshine. "Thoughts about making love," she said quietly.

Gilbert froze, his eyes wide. She hadn't moved, and neither did he, and after a moment he carefully exhaled. Eventually, he nodded. "I can understand that."

The two of them were silent for long minutes, and Gilbert was relieved to feel her head resting against him again. Yet again surprised by the woman beside him, he closed his eyes. She would only tell him when she was ready- and yet she would admit honestly what was on her mind, and simply trust him with that knowledge. He pulled her close to him with a little sigh. He found himself yearning to simply freeze time- for them to be able to sit like this together forever- with no thoughts of tomorrow- no fears, no shadow of sorrow.

After a time, he carefully moved, and stood up slowly. He pulled her to her feet with a little smile. "Thank you for telling me, sweetheart." He pulled her close, his face in her soft red curls.

She gave a little sigh, and drew back, her grey eyes looking into his own with a trust that made him breathless. He swallowed then, blinking back unwelcome tears.

"I love you, Anne." he whispered, holding her to him tightly and pressing a kiss into the curve of her neck.

"I love you too, Gil."

She pulled away from him with a little smile, before taking his hand. "We won't have many more days here, I think. Would you like to take a little run to the shore before dinnertime?" she asked.

He looked at her beautiful face in the afternoon sunlight, and he smiled.

"I'd love to."


	24. Chapter 24, Last Night at Patty's Place

**Chapter 24**

The days before the group would leave Kingsport passed quickly. The little house was quickly packed up, and Anne sighed with relief when the big trunks were finally loaded into the cart to be taken to the shipping office. Anne's belongings would arrive in Avonlea long before she would, and she had written to Marilla to let her know that they could be left at Bright River until she arrived home in the following week. She surveyed her little blue room with a wistful smile. Only a few items remained now, these would travel with her to Mount Holly. To leave the house would be a wrench for them all; it had been a true home for the girls, a miracle that Anne was so very thankful for. It was with a smile that Anne remembered that they hadn't been sure about Phil coming to live with them- Phil who had made them laugh, who had been the problem solver of the group. Who had confronted her when she needed to, drew her out of herself, and had drawn them all together so often that they forgot it had ever been another way. Aunt Jimsie would be returning to the Island after her voyage to India, and Anne had already promised to go and visit her in Cornwall, PEI with Stella's family during the next summer break. For the girl who once had no roots, there was a gladness in Anne's heart at the invitation. Kindred spirits, she had discovered, were everywhere- and her four years in Kingsport had given her yet another family.

Picking up the washing basket, she walked down the stairs and almost into Priscilla, who was busy tidying the lounge room in preparation for the evening. She held out a hat and a tie with an amused smile to Anne, whose cheeks flushed a bright pink.

"He may as well sleep here, you know."

Anne choked slightly. " _Priss_!"

The girl grinned cheekily. "You have to admit, he's been here constantly this week."

Anne laughed. "And a good thing too. We got through our list faster than we would have, otherwise."

Priss rolled her eyes. "Not that he let you lift a finger- and you were _fine_ on that ladder."

Anne shrugged. "I know."

She smiled then. Gilbert had been insistent that she come back down again, kissing her thoroughly and assuring her that her knees were now far too weak to sustain her. Too amused to be offended, she had simply helped from the ground as best as she could.

It was the last night in the little house, and they had planned a special dinner together to celebrate. Jo, Aaron and Patrick would be joining Gilbert and the household for one last night together before the social whirlwind of Mount Holly began. Fittings with the tailor and dressmakers, and an elaborate garden party to welcome the Gordon's guests; the rehearsal dinner and innumerable other small engagements had been made for them. Phil had reluctantly broken it to the girls that her mother had engaged a private lesson for the bridal party with a prominent dance master. Cousin Mary's Maxwell, so it was said had not been able to dance at _all_ \- and Mrs Gordon was determined to not have that happen at _her_ daughter's wedding.

That evening, every chair in the cosy lounge room at Patty's Place was filled. Phil and an uplifted Jonas took up one lounge, and Anne and Gilbert settled on another. Anne's cheek was resting on Gilbert's shoulder, and she looked around the room at their little circle carefully. Aaron and Patrick sat talking on the rug in front of the hearth like boys, and she gave a little chuckle when she saw Patrick watching Priscilla out of the corner of his eye. Anne knew that Priss had enjoyed her dances with him the other night, and that some of the comfortableness with each other from their regular correspondence had returned. Priss was looking especially lovely that evening- something she could see young Mr Stevens had noticed. Gilbert had been able to spend a little time with Jo and both of the gentlemen, and reported that both were extremely likeable fellows- and that Patrick admired Priscilla unreservedly. Stella sat contentedly beside her aunt, chatting about learning foreign languages with Aaron and Patrick. Phil had ventured a small comment to her about Aaron earlier that day, only to be met with laughter from her friend.

"Phil, I know that you want me to say that I admire Aaron, but it won't work, you know. I'm not going to fall for someone simply because it's convenient or easy. The world doesn't work like that."

"It works however you want it to." Phil had retorted, and Stella gave her an amused smile.

"Phil dear, I will have a wonderful time at your wedding, and I'm quite sure that Aaron and I are going to have a lot of fun together. But if you're hoping to match us all up like dollies, well- I will be disappointing you. My future does not lie in Borneo."

Phil tweaked her nose. "Well then, I'll be praying that Mr Right is somewhere in Vancouver. You won't be able to run forever."

Stella snorted. "Until that day, I'm quite content as I am, thank you very much."

Anne watched her now, with a smile. Her dark eyes sparkled as she threw a much-maligned cushion at Priscilla for the sly little comment she had just made. As a frequent participant in the festivities at Patty's Place, Gilbert had often teased the women that more objects were thrown around in the little house than during football season.

Left to thoughts that would turn melancholy, Anne gave a little sigh. Vancouver was far enough away that it could be years before she would see Stella again- one of the first friends she had made all those years ago at Queens. Capable Stella, with her dry humour and softer heart! Darling Priss would be closer, only an hour away by train- until she too would head off on adventures of her own. Looking at the way her eyes fluttered to Patrick when she thought he wasn't looking, Anne wondered if Japan was on her horizon. Phil was next to come under her scrutiny, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Whatever would she have done without the incorrigible Phil? As she blinked furiously at the tears that would persist, she breathed a prayer of thankfulness that Phil and Jo would be near Gilbert next year. He would have friends, and he would no doubt would make many more. Quietly she took a deep breath. What was the _matter_ with her? They had prepared for this. And it wasn't the last night they would all have together.

Gilbert had been glancing at her from time to time, and each time she had tried to give him a little smile. She was fine. A loud laugh from the gentlemen at Stella's attempt to follow Patrick's impromptu Japanese lesson startled her composure, and her breath caught. Suddenly the room became overwhelming, and the emotions she had tried so hard to regulate were tumbling out of control- with a short mumble of excuse, Anne pushed off her seat and fled up the stairs.

Gilbert had been talking to Jonas at the time, and a look of alarm quickly crossed his face. He shot a glance at Phil, who seemed unworried.

"She's a little emotional today." she said softly. Jo gave a gentle cough, and Phil scowled at him. "Oh alright, we all have been." She looked at the others, who were all well occupied for the moment, and had not noticed Anne's departure. "Just go up, Gil. She won't be far away." she whispered.

He hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Phil gave a little smile. "Gilbert, if we can't trust you in our house by now, who can we trust? I'll come up soon to check on her too."

Gilbert departed as unobtrusively as he could and climbed the staircase nervously. The fear that never quite left his mind was now foremost, and he moved quickly to her closed door to knock on it softly. "Anne? May I come in?"

When there was no answer, he pushed the door open cautiously, hoping that she would forgive the intrusion. She was huddled on the floor beside her bed with her face hidden, and her shoulders were shaking. Gilbert crossed to her quickly and knelt by her side.

"Oh, sweetheart," he said, his voice constricted. "It's alright, whatever it is, it's alright."

To his horror, those words seemed to unleash a fresh storm of tears, and a helpless Gilbert sat down beside her and pulled his arms around her as she cried.

There was a whiteness to his lips as he held her to him, and his voice shook. "Anne, please tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing, I'm fine-" she choked before her big grey eyes overflowed again, and she turned to bury her face in his shirt. Gilbert could only hold her as she sobbed, for her sake desperately trying not to panic. In the corner of his eye, he saw a concerned Phil standing in the doorway, who slipped unseen into the room to sit on Anne's bed.

Anne curled into a ball in his arms, crying out tears that seemed to have been building for some time. She tried to speak several times, but eventually gave up. There was a strange relief in letting go- in not trying to be brave anymore, not covering up the disordered mess in her mind.

Gilbert again looked to Phil, who only gave Anne a loving look. He calmed slightly, seeing that she was not worried. They would simply have to wait. When at last she could speak, Anne's voice shook.

"It's our last night here with our friends, and all I can think about is that it will never be the same again." Gilbert stayed silent, stroking her back. "Everyone is going somewhere- and there is no guarantee that we will be able to see each other anytime soon. And I keep trying to be logical and practical about it- and it just won't _work_." She looked up at Gilbert then, exhausted. "I know I should be brave, I should accept it like you do. But it _hurts_."

Gilbert shook his head. "Anne, that's ridiculous. You're one of the bravest people I know. That doesn't mean you won't feel it, we _all_ feel it." he said quietly.

She gave a small hiccup and shook her head, distressed. "No one else is dissolving into tears."

Phil gave a little laugh, startling Anne, who hadn't noticed her presence. "I did this on Jonas last night, honey. And I heard Stella and Priss having a good old cry together this morning. We're all affected."

Anne turned to Gilbert then with a defeated look. "I know that I'm being childish about you and I. I know what we have ahead for us. But this year has gone so fast- and as much as I want to, I won't be able to make the summer pause. And then it will be September before we know it-" her voice trailed into a whisper. "I told you, I'm just being a baby. I'm sorry, Gil. I don't want to make it any harder for you." To her surprise, Gilbert gave a painful laugh.

"Anne, it already _is_ hard. We can't make it any harder. You have no idea how I'm struggling with it myself."

Phil slipped off the bed to sit beside Anne on the floor. "I'm sorry, honey. I got so caught up in everything else that I forgot to do my job."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow at her, and she grinned at him cheerfully. "I make your future wife cry." She shrugged at him, ignoring Anne's glare. "I just help to relieve a little pressure. Things get tangled up and messy, and that's when _I_ step in."

Anne wiped at her eyes and spoke thickly. "It's not your job to fix me, Phil. I need to be able to handle this on my own."

Phil's look was kind. "Well, that's just not true, sweetie. After all, what are best friends for?" She stretched her arms out in front of her, and yawned, getting to her feet slowly. "And you know it's always worse around here at that time of the month."

Anne let out a squeak of horror, just as Phil clapped a hand over her mouth. " _Oh_ \- oh _no_ ; Gilbert, I forgot you were here," Phil said, flabbergasted. Gilbert appeared to be suffering some kind of coughing fit at that point, and it was with an embarrassed laugh that Phil backed toward the door, giving Anne a look of consternation. "I'm so sorry. You know, I'm fairly certain you don't need me anymore." She attempted to recover herself and gave Anne a businesslike look. "Wash your face sweetie, and come back down. You missed Aaron telling everyone about the time he tied Jo to the flagpole in their school days. I'll give the two of you a few more minutes to talk, and if you're not down in that time, I'll send Jimsie up to get you." She fled the room, leaving a very embarrassed couple behind. There were a few minutes of silence, until Anne, most surprisingly, was the first to recover.

" _Well_ , Mr Blythe. I bet you didn't think we would be having _that_ discussion anytime soon," she said dryly. Gilbert's eyebrows were as high as they could go, and he nodded, evidently feeling that it was safer to say nothing.

Anne sighed, with a little smile coming to her face. She studiously wiped her eyes with a damp handkerchief and drew in a shuddering breath. She studied the flowers on the mat with bright red cheeks, as she spoke softly. "I'm sure much of what goes on is familiar to you already after Anatomy class. And you once told me that you got a perfect score in that exam."

Gilbert chuckled, rubbing his hands across his face with a groan. "Yes, I did say that."

Anne smiled wryly. "It's a little more than what they tell you in class, Gil. Now, this is certainly _not_ ladylike to say any of this to you-" she admitted and then smiled at his raised eyebrow. "But since that has never stopped us before, I may as well finish the job now." She sighed, her voice reluctant. "It is possible that we get a little- shall we say, _fragile_ at around that time," she said, blushing hotly.

Gilbert's cheeks were also heated, and he nodded. "Oh."He reached down and took her hand in his, still studying his shoes.

"I certainly do- a bit more emotional- and maybe a little more red- headed at those times," she mumbled. "And it's bad enough when it's one of us- but when it becomes two or three or four of us at the same time, the household becomes a little fraught. Not to mention any bigger circumstances going on at the time, like perhaps leaving college." She gave a sheepish laugh, looking at the stunned look on his face. "You would have known this already, if you had any sisters, Gil."

She sat up in shock at the way his arm started to shake against hers, and she frowned. "What's so funny?"

Gilbert cleared his throat uncomfortably, with a grin. "Oh, I was just wondering how many times our many arguments coincided with those moments."

Anne's chin lifted. "Maybe just a few." She frowned at him then. "And if you have the nerve to ask if that was in play the night of the hurricane, no, it was _not_. That was all _us_." she said decidedly.

Gilbert held up a hand in defence. "I wouldn't dream of it." He threw her a sly look then. "I might have _thought_ it perhaps." He laughed at the elbow that dug into his ribs. "I'm kidding, sweetheart. I know what was really going on that night. Besides, that would never have excused me in any case." He was silent for a moment and then frowned. "Look, Anne, all that aside, that doesn't make how you're feeling right now go away. Why didn't you just tell me how upset you were?"

Anne buried her face in Gilbert's shirt again, and sighed. "Because lately all you seem to be doing is worrying about me." Gilbert's breath suddenly caught, and he stilled himself deliberately. "I know that it's not sensible to cry about things you can't change. You didn't need to be dealing with that."

Gilbert pulled back to look at her, worried. "Well, I can't agree with you there. Anne, after all this time, why would you try and keep how you felt from me? It's not like you to bottle everything up."

Anne sighed. "I'm trying to be practical about it, like you. And you heard Phil, I _do_ do that, at times."

"You never did that when we were younger," he said, puzzled. "I don't understand why you would now that we're together-"

She smiled sadly. "Gilbert, I never had a filter back then. You learn that as you grow up. I just learned it a little later than others." Anne looked at him wistfully then. "Gil, _everything_ that I do affects you. If you're under pressure- and you certainly _have_ been- then it makes it worse for you. You don't need to be carrying me as well."

At this he turned to face her, his voice almost fierce. "Well, that's enough of that. Is it hard at times? _Yes_. But if you start shutting me out, especially when we are far away from one another, it's going to create even more distance between us- a distance that we can't afford. I need to know what's going on with you, just like you need to know about me. I'm going to be telling you everything, and I need you to do the same."

Anne looked at him blankly. "Even if it's foolish? Or something completely irrational and oh, _I_ don't know, all in my imagination?"

"Even then," he said firmly. "I want to know everything, big or small."

Anne rested her head against him with a sigh. "Alright." He looked at her, waiting, and she rolled her eyes impatiently. " _Fine_. Here is the truth. I'm extremely tired right now, and I will probably cry again tonight, hopefully, it can wait until I'm safely in bed and by myself. I'm dreading the end of summer. I'm worried about what the wardrobe of a Principal is supposed to look like, and I think I may have accidentally thrown away the manuscript for a short story that I wanted to send in to the Women's Home Journal. Oh, and I have discovered how much I struggle to read a book for pleasure now, after almost four years of dissecting them for classes." She hesitated for a tiny moment. "And especially with you in my room, three years seems like an eternity right now."

Gilbert chuckled. He looked up then to see her turn to him expectantly. His smile faltered, and he thought with a jolt about the one thing he couldn't bring himself to tell her. He tried to clear his throat, absently stroking the soft skin under her short lacy sleeves. He only had to get through another week.

"I'm- thinking about you," he said softly. "About how much I hate to see you cry- but that I want to be the one who is there for you when you do." He sat thoughtfully for a time and gave a short laugh. "I'm wishing we had more time- it's been nearly a year, and yet somehow I think no amount of time is ever going to be enough for me." Anne's arms slipped around his waist, and his eyes closed. There was a burning on his face, and he held her a little tighter. "I'm hoping I can live up to what they expect of me with the Cooper." Anne was startled to feel him swallow hard, and raised her head to look at him. "And I'm wondering how I'm ever going to be able to get on the train that will take me away from you."

She looked into serious hazel eyes and raised a gentle hand to wipe away a stubborn tear from his cheek.

"I think I'm beginning to see the problem here," Anne whispered. Gilbert gave her a confused look that made her smile, despite her own tears being close now. "It's a double standard we seem to be battling with. I want to keep you from pain, so I don't tell you everything- and yet I don't want to be protected from what _you_ feel. Does that sound at all familiar?"

Shifting on the mat beside her bed, Gilbert sighed. "I guess so."

Anne rested against his shoulder thinking. "I don't even know what the answer is, to be honest. Knowing everything doesn't necessarily mean we can fix it, or make it go away. But I suppose we would still be in it together." Gilbert's eyes were studiously on their joined hands, and he nodded. Anne bent slightly to catch his eye then. "It means we have to trust each other."

He looked up then, indignant. "I _do_ trust you- and I jolly well hope you trust me!"

Anne shook her head. "No, not like _that_ , Gil. I mean, that you need to trust me to be alright. To tell me how you honestly feel, and trust that I will be able to deal with it. And to stop making judgment calls on how much the other one of us can handle."

"That goes _both_ ways!"

She laughed then. "I did say that already. We're as bad as each other. And after all, it _is_ rooted in how much we love each other."

Gilbert sat in silence for a little time and finally sighed. "Anne, I'm not ever going to _not_ want to protect you," he said, with an apologetic look.

She looked at him wistfully then. "Neither will I."

"So that means we're right back where we started." he stated dryly.

"Not exactly. We've discussed it. All we can do is try to talk a little more."

Gilbert kissed the top of her head and brushed the long red hair from her face. "Are you ready to go downstairs yet?"

Anne sighed. "I do need to splash some water on my face, we can go then."

Gilbert grinned, as he looked around him. "Well, I _am_ glad I got to be in your bedroom on your last night in here at least."

She blushed a little at that, and he leant in to kiss her mouth softly.

He stood up slowly and took her hands to lift her up. As she rose, Anne stumbled unexpectedly, and it was with a pounding heart that he caught her to him, preventing her from falling. She gave a little laugh as she found her feet again, and he had to work to school the terror that suddenly appeared on his features as he held her close.

"I'm a little clumsy today, Gil. It's not the first time that's happened. I suppose I _am_ exhausted."

Gilbert couldn't speak and held her in arms that shook slightly. After a minute he pulled himself together and leant back to give her a teasing smile.

"Well, I can't have you going weak at the knees without me around, so it's just as well that we leave for Bolingbroke together in the morning. And I'm not leaving your side until we're safely home in Avonlea. Alright?"

Anne stepped away on surer feet with a coquettish look. "That sounds delightful, sir. Are you going downstairs now while I wash my face?"

Gilbert smiled and shook his head. "What did I just say? I'll wait. And they all know I'm up here with you anyway. You _knew_ you had a scandalous fiance, Miss Shirley."

She put her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to very willing lips. "Only a truly scandalous man would choose me for his bride, dearest. You knew I was _that_ at the slate."

Perhaps Phil had spoken to the others, at any rate, no questions were asked when the two of them came downstairs hand in hand. Phil gave them a brief smile, and Anne felt a lump come to her throat at the way Aunt Jimsie leant down to kiss the top of her head in a rare show of affection, as she made her way to her bedroom. The next hour was spent talking and laughing together, and as they sat, Anne looked up at the man who held her hand in his tightly. Gilbert laughed at something that Aaron said, and then happened to glance down at Anne at that moment. He looked at her tenderly and raised her hand to his lips, giving her a reassuring smile.

Phil broke in at that moment. "Would the pair of you stop it with the big goo-goo eyes?" she said impatiently, with a twinkle in her brown eyes. "At this rate people will be watching you instead of us on Saturday!"

Gilbert didn't miss a beat. "Then you'd better work on drawing some more attention, Phil." he said casually, and then leant across Anne laughing to shield her from the cushions that the soon-to-be bride pelted at the two of them.


	25. Chapter 25, Goodbye and Welcome

**Chapter 25**

At twelve o clock on Wednesday morning, the four girls stood outside Patty's Place. Two of the carriages that would be taking them to Mount Holly had arrived, and the coachmen were loading the luggage into the last of them. Aunt Jimsie locked the door behind them, and slowly walked down the steps. The cats had gone home with Stella's family in big baskets, spitting and yowling dismally. Gilbert had been on hand for the boxing of Rusty, and when Anne had been too soft-hearted to put her pet in there he had done so with several scratches on his arms and a grim look on his face. Perhaps it was just as well their own wedding would not happen for three years- if it was any sooner he might have had to put up with the wretched animal in their own home.

It was the kind of morning where washing should have hung on the line merrily, and the girls would have been relaxing in the orchard. As they prepared to say goodbye, Anne left the others, and walked around the little house and into the trees she had loved. She walked to the biggest and oldest of the apple trees, and ran her hand over the rough bark with a smile. She had been through every emotion known to man out here; laughter, tears, heartbreak and almost dizzying happiness. Phil would be returning to the house in just a few weeks to visit, and Anne drew a little breath of relief. She would take care of the remaining business now. Anne had been the main correspondent with Miss Patty, and she would miss the letters from the other side of the globe that the ladies had delighted in reading together. She believed that they had faithfully looked after the little house, and Anne found herself thinking dreamily that on her visits to the city in the future, she and Phil might be able to pop into the little house for tea occasionally. She smiled, thinking of all that Gog and Magog had seen from their places of honour on the mantelpiece. She would miss the china dogs especially.

Anne was so caught up in her memories, that she didn't see Gilbert walking towards her through the pines with a smile on his lean face. He had known he would find her here, and he was grateful that the others had not followed them for the moment. Strong arms slipped around her waist from behind, and Anne's eyes closed, relaxing against him. Gilbert turned his head to breathe in the scent of her hair, and pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

She turned in his arms, with a big smile. "I am. No doubt I will grieve more later, however there is so much to look forward to over the next few days, that I don't believe we will have time!" she said with a saucy grin. She reached up to touch the collar of Gilbert's shirt, and the neatly knotted tie that she had given him for his birthday in their first year at Redmond. She smiled at the sight of the now slightly worn blue fabric, having noticed that he wore it quite often. She looked up to see his eyes tenderly on her, and smiled.

"Shall we say goodbye together?" he said with a grin.

Anne took his face in her hands, and kissed him unhurriedly under the tree, the sunlight coming through the leaves and a light breeze blowing through the nearby pines.

Gilbert chuckled. "Not to _me_ , to the orchard," he said against her skin, nevertheless pulling her even closer.

She shook her head, her eyes still closed. "This is how you say goodbye to a place." she breathed, kissing him deeply again. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that?"

"You know you're the only one who would say that to me, Anne-girl." he said, amused. "I hope this is what is done in welcome as well-"

"Of course-"

"Because there are a _lot_ of places I need to welcome you to back home."

This made her laugh now, and she pulled back to study his mischievous hazel eyes with a smile. He was looking lighter as well, and Anne sighed with relief. The term had taken a toll on him, and she had been concerned that he was losing weight again- now however, she saw the light in his eyes and dismissed her concerns.

"Shall we?" He offered her his arm formally, chuckling when she refused it, lacing her fingers through his own instead. Together they passed the last of the trees, and stopped briefly in the place he had first proposed. There was a thoughtful look on his face, and he looked at the girl beside him. He opened his mouth to say something, and was stopped by the kiss she gave him on his cheek.

"We've said it all, Gil. We don't need to remember it anymore." Anne said softly, holding his eyes.

Gilbert nodded, a little smile playing around his mouth. "You're right. Although I _am_ remembering what else we did on this spot." he teased, loving the bright flush that covered her face. He let himself be led past the place, not missing the slight grin on her pink face.

They could hear the voices of the others close by, and stopped one last time before they came into sight. Gilbert could see her hesitation, the wistful look that covered her face in spite of her words, as she took a look at the beloved spot.

"One day," he said, lightly running his hands down her arms, "We will have a home like this, and one we won't ever need to leave." he said firmly. "We'll walk through the gardens in the sunshine, we'll snuggle together inside in the rain. You and I will love each other in all of its rooms, and we'll raise our family in it. We'll be together." He kissed her again, loving the little sigh she gave, and the flush that came to her soft cheeks.

They could hear the sound of footsteps coming then, and Gilbert put his arm around Anne to keep her in place.

"I thought the two of you would be here." Stella said, amused.

"We're just saying a quick goodbye." Anne said, with a conscious smile.

Priscilla rolled her eyes. "But not to each _other_. Come on, Mr Gordon has all of the carriages loaded, and we're ready to go."

Gilbert took a quick look around, and he was the last to go through the rose covered entrance to Patty's Place, closing it behind him with a sigh. He took his hand off the gate for the last time, effectively closing the season for them all. Anne was waiting for him at the carriage with a loving look, and they stood a little apart from the others quietly until Phil gave the two of them a nudge into the closest carriage with a smile.

"I thought the two of you might want to stay together. Don't thank me, though, I'm really just doing it for my sake." she said with an impish look, as she settled in across from them next to a smiling Jonas in the carriage.

The four of them talked for the first half of the journey, with Phil explaining the latest of her mother's plans for the big day. Even Anne, who had seen the delights that Mount Holly had to offer was surprised at the scale of the arrangements that had been made. Gilbert watched her expressive face as she chattered and laughed with Phil, and allowed himself to take a deep breath again. Maybe- just maybe he could start to relax now. He would take the best care of her that he could, and he already knew she would not need to lift a finger at the Gordon's house. She would be _fine_.

Anything else was simply not an option.

* * *

Some time later, Gilbert awoke from a short nap, to find the carriage quiet, apart from the sound of the horses and carriage along the dusty roads. Jonas had a book in on one hand and a dozing Phil's hand in the other, and Anne lay against his shoulder sound asleep. He stretched as well as he could without disturbing her, and turned slightly so she would be more comfortable. It was then that he caught Jo's eye, who put down his book with a sigh.

"We're not far now." he said quietly.

Gilbert nodded, and grinned. "Are you ready for it all to start?" he said in a low voice, and Jo chuckled. "For the marriage, yes. For the wedding, I think we're both anxious for it to be over with. I did my first wedding in the parish the other week. I have a feeling ours won't be quite so small as this one was." Phil stirred slightly, and sat up with a yawn.

"It won't, Jo dear." she said groggily. "But you get me out of it, so all will be well."

Gilbert chuckled, seeing the look of contentment on both of their faces.

Jo turned to Gilbert then. "When do the two of you leave for home?"

He turned to look at Anne, who was still out cold, and spoke softly. "We'll catch the train with Priss and Stella on Monday morning from Bolingbroke. It will make for a long day, but barring any delays, we should still all be at home by Monday night."

Phil smiled. "Mother will be quite a different person by Sunday, and I think you should all be able to relax a bit more then. I'm sorry I won't get to see it."

This made Gilbert grin. "No, you aren't."

He turned his eyes to Anne, brushing the hair back from her forehead with care.

To his surprise, Phil had brown eyes trained on him thoughtfully. "What's bothering you, Gil?"

Gilbert hedged a little, knowing that he had been caught; and finally sighed, answering her quietly. "It's been a rough term for her. I've made it worse at times, I know I have. I just- I just want her safe."

She shook her curls at him, an incredulous smile on her face. "Gilbert Blythe, she is _fine_. I've never seen you this overprotective. Goodness, the two of you need that summer you have planned- some rest and recreation is just what the doctor ordered, I feel."

He flinched at her words, but made himself respond. "I know. I'm sure I'll settle down soon. I do need a break." He gave a wry chuckle. "I lost our winter break to nursing Dad, and Easter was always going to be busy."

Phil shot him a teasing glance. "I thought you rested quite well at Easter." she said innocently. Gilbert's eyes flew open, and he looked at Phil in shock. _She_ knew too? She laughed, and shook her head. "It's fine, Gilbert; Anne just said that you both a had a lovely time together. Look, we only _wish_ we could have been the ones staying in Kingsport."

Jo smiled. "It gave your mother peace of mind, darling."

"You are more generous than I." Phil said with a sigh. "Away from society, she's really quite different- although I think only my father and I see that." She leaned forward then, her small hand grabbing Gilbert's own. "Gil, I'm sure Anne is going to be fine. But she will worry about _you_ more if you don't calm down. Worry about you has nearly eaten her alive, over the last few months." she said thoughtlessly, not seeing Gilbert's face blanch. He attempted to smile, and tightened his hand on Anne as she slept. Phil smiled in response, leaning back in her seat. The three of them conversed quietly for some time, until Anne herself woke up shortly outside Bolingbroke.

Forgetting the other two in the carriage, Gilbert studied her face, smiling to see the way she awoke so happily.

"I must have needed that." she said in a quiet tone.

"Apparently so." he teased. "We've been talking away, and you are busy being a lady of leisure-"

Phil laughed. "Well, it's just as well that you're awake now, honey. We've almost arrived."

* * *

Phil was met out of the carriage by her mother and father, who had come out of the front doors within a minute of their arrival. Several servants stood ready to take the belongings from the carriage, and the other coaches were pulling in as they walked to the steps of the impressive house with her family. Gilbert looked up at the many storied building with wonder, and he felt Anne's hand slip into his. He shook his head with a smile, unconsciously running his thumb over the little pearl ring.

"You're doing much better than I did when I first came here, dearest." she whispered, smiling. "I was so in awe I could hardly greet everyone."

The two of them were ushered up the front steps by Mrs Gordon, who had greeted Anne and Gilbert with pleasure, before moving to greet Aunt Jimsie and the rest of the party. Within a very short time, all of them had been ushered inside to the spacious front hall, with an ornate staircase that divided between the east and west wings of the house. Anne gave Gilbert's hand a quick squeeze before Mrs Gordon shepherded the girls up the staircase, and Gilbert watched her red head go with a little smile. The gentlemen were led to the wide verandas at the rear of the house, and across the perfectly manicured lawn to the two storied guest house.

Jo led the way inside, greeting the manservant kindly. Gilbert was relieved to see that Patrick and Aaron's reactions were as surprised as his own, as they were shown to two spacious bedrooms in the rear that overlooked the gardens. He looked out the windows in bewilderment at the perfect lines of rose beds and hedges, and at the small cottage in the distance; quarters for the gardener, he assumed. Jo would be sharing a room with him for the time being, and he smiled at Gilbert's silence.

"It's impressive, isn't it?" he said quietly, and Gilbert could only nod.

"I've never seen such a place." he said with a comical look.

Jo laughed. "The first time I came here, I was going to ask Mr Gordon for permission to propose to Phil. I was so in awe of my surroundings that I didn't get up the courage until the day I left here." he said with an apologetic smile. "I was out in the guest house by myself, that time."

The gentlemen were offered the chance to bathe then, to remove the dirt and dust from travelling before dinner. Once dressed and in his right mind, Gilbert looked from the windows of the guest house parlour to the brightly lit great house, wondering how the ladies were faring inside.

* * *

Mrs Gordon had thoughtfully selected several maids to help the ladies to prepare for dinner, and Anne found herself in the company of a young lady by the name of Charlotte. She had laid out her dress on the bed and drawn a bath, and not many minutes later Anne found herself soaking luxuriously in the bath, thinking lazily that indoor plumbing was a most wonderful innovation. Some time later, fresher and more comfortable, Anne sat in the little dressing room having her damp hair expertly pinned up by Phil's maid.

"It's a shame to be putting it up wet, miss;" she said apologetically, "However it is a warm night."

Anne assured her that all was well, and she was soon joined by a rejuvenated Stella in Phil's sitting room. Stella was looking lovely in her deep burgundy gown and fell onto the little lounge with a sigh of pleasure.

"I declare that felt wonderful!" she said brightly. "Priss is almost ready now, and Phil's mother whisked her off twenty minutes ago to look at china patterns."

The lady in question arrived at the door then, only to flop down on the other pink sofa with a moan. The girls scolded her for crushing her dress, and for a moment it all felt as comfortable it had at Patty's Place. Phil surfaced eventually with a grin.

" _Well_ , ladies. You will no doubt be pleased to note that we have selected the Royal Grafton Gold Leaf for the table settings, out of a possible seven choices." Phil stated.

Anne nodded seriously. "I _am_ glad."

Phil looked at her, amused. "Yes, I thought you would be. I think that's what I'll get you for your wedding present, Miss Anne."

She laughed at that. "Don't you dare, Phillipa-soon-to-be-Blake. Gilbert and I will be much more content with something simple."

"As would I. But Mummy insists on it for the wedding- and she told me how important it is to her, to give me a proper send-off," Phil said, with a good-natured shrug.

At this point, both Priscilla and the housekeeper entered the room, the latter with a kindly smile for the girl who had been her charge.

"There, I trust that you will all feel much better after your trip now. Miss Phil, dinner is being served downstairs; the rest of the party are waiting for you in the atrium."

Phil rose to her feet with a grateful smile for Mrs Langley, and turned to the others with a twinkle in her eye. "Well, my dears, we have a pleasure that I had almost forgotten about- eating a meal that none of us had to cook!"

Priscilla laughed, shaking her rose-covered gown out as she walked to the door. "Brilliant! It's just like a miniature holiday." she said brightly, making the girls smile.

Gilbert was waiting in the hallway as the ladies came down the staircase, and he stood looking up at Anne with a smile. Better rested than he had seen her in days, she was lovely. Bright curls were arranged carefully around her head, and her eyes were gorgeous. He came to meet her at the foot of the staircase with a light in his own, and took her hand.

"You look _wonderful_."

Anne smiled as she stepped down, smoothing a hand over his shirt front. "So do you, dearest."

He grinned, placing her hand in the crook of his arm to walk after the others into the ornate dining room. Anne bent her red head towards him.

"Mrs Gordon wants us to practice walking and moving together; so Phil says she has placed the groomsmen beside their respective bridesmaids for every meal. Isn't that lovely?" she said, her eyes twinkling. "I'm sure _some_ of the party will feel quite glad about that, as well."

He only smiled at her then, hoping that they could be alone later.

Their hosts were keen to involve the bridal party in preparations for the wedding, and Mrs Gordon could be heard discussing the itinerary for the next few days. She kindly told the gentlemen that they would be going to the tailor first thing in the morning, and would arrive back just in time for the garden party. Gilbert was tasked with keeping the groomsmen on time for all appointments, as Mrs Gordon supposed Jonas would be too busy with the other things on his mind. He nodded solemnly, and Anne gave his hand a squeeze under the table, meeting his eyes with a smile.

"On Friday is the rehearsal dinner; and gentlemen, I would suggest that you are back at the house by four in the afternoon, to give yourself enough time to prepare."

Phil's startled eyes met Jo's, and then Anne's. "Mama, I thought that Friday was going to be a quieter day." she said, her voice uncharacteristically subdued. "I was rather hoping to take everyone to the lake for a picnic."

Mrs Gordon pulled her glasses off with some surprise. "No, dear. Your father is taking the gentlemen to the golf club on Friday. You will be busy yourself, in any case, Phillipa. I have arranged a luncheon with the ladies of the family and the bridal party, following your last fittings and meeting with the stylist."

"Right. The stylist." Phil said flatly.

"Madame Birskill comes very highly recommended, and she was the one whom Lady Ashton used for her daughter's wedding." Mrs Gordon said, mildly exasperated at her daughter's lack of enthusiasm.

Phil looked to Anne, who smiled at her regretfully. Gilbert saw her take a deep breath, and look to Jonas, and the little smile he gave her seemed to calm her ire. Anne and Gilbert, sitting across from her clearly heard Phil mutter "Two more days." At this Gilbert choked slightly on his glass of water, and then apologised courteously for drawing the attention of the rest of the table. Anne suppressed a giggle, and Jonas grinned at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Along the table, Stella was discussing business strategies with Mr Gordon, and Mrs Gordon had at last put down her list to be engaged by a very engaging Aaron in conversation, who had most accurately seen the consternation of the bride and groom at the attention. He winked at a grateful Phil, as he talked expansively. Priscilla was placed beside Patrick as Phil had foretold, and Anne gave a little smile to see his deferential manner toward her beloved friend. Priscilla was chatting to him comfortably now, and Anne was almost sure she had seen her blush at a comment he made. She herself had been daydreaming for some moments when she felt a gentle nudge from Gilbert.

"You aren't eating, sweetheart." he teased quietly. "Where have you vanished to?"

She gave him a big smile. "I'm just watching people. I love to do that." she said softly. "Besides, I'm really not that hungry."

Gilbert contrived to look only mildly interested at this news. "Oh. With so many delicious courses yet to come?"

"Perhaps that's the problem." Anne said with a slight grin. "Too much food after a long day, I feel. What do you think of the house?" she asked.

He looked around him, shaking his head with a grin. "It's amazing. And yet-"

"And yet it's not for _us_ , is it?"

Gilbert's thumb ran lightly across her fingers. "No. I wouldn't want a house that would master me. I want to feel like I owned it." he said frankly. His fingers brushed the soft folds of her skirt, and he sighed.

"I love this dress on you." he whispered.

Anne looked at him with a little smile. "You often say that, Gil. Why?"

He looked at her with a smile. "I've always liked it, ever since I saw you in it for the first time."

Anne's eyes widened. "You remember it?"

"Of course." The two of them forgot that anyone else was around them while the party waited for the course to end, and sat talking quietly. "It was the summer before we went to Redmond. You wore it to a dance that Ruby hosted at her house." He smiled at the memory. "You were already there when I arrived, and you were dancing with Frank Stockley, I believe, he was visiting Moody for the weekend-"

" _That's_ right-"

Gilbert chuckled. "And I stood as close to the platform as I could so that I'd be the next one to dance with you."

Anne smiled, loving the chance to talk with him. "And you were."

Gilbert flushed then, and tried to keep the boyish smile off his face, one that Anne did not miss.

"Gil?" she asked in a low voice, smiling herself now.

He sighed, and grinned. "You were so beautiful that night, Anne- I wanted to keep you all to myself, and I could have strangled Fred for telling me that he'd already arranged to drive you and Diana home. Of course, now I just think he was trying to rile me up."

Anne gave a little laugh. "If I remember that night correctly, I was dropped home post-haste, and I had a very vague goodbye from the two of them. Their eyes never left each other."

"Well, I would have loved the privilege of walking you home that night." Gilbert said with a grin. "It was one of the many nights I almost kissed you. And whenever I see you in this dress, I just remember how beautiful you were, and how much I loved holding you in my arms when we danced."

Anne's smile was loving. "Well, you certainly have that right now. Actually, Josie told me that this shade of green clashed with my hair horribly."

He shook his head, amused. The jade of the fabric made her curls gleam like copper and her eyes sparkle, and the delicate ivory lace on the dress framed her neckline beautifully. "You never actually believed her, did you?"

Anne tipped her head in thought, and gave a wry smile. "In the beginning I did. Josie always went for my weak spots, she knew what would hurt me the most. I soon learned that she was jealous- although I couldn't imagine why at the time- until Diana pointed out to me that it was about you."

Gilbert frowned. "She was jealous because you were stunning, Anne. Diana could have told you that."

Anne looked at sea at that comment. "But _she_ is pretty, Gil- she had nothing to fear from me- except that as I understand it, she lost her best chance of getting you."

He laughed then. "There wasn't a chance- and I would have made her fairly unhappy too, I think. I could never have spent my days being saturated in gossip and constant comparison with her."

Anne smiled at him sadly. "No, and it seems unlikely that at this point she will change."

"No, at this point I think they're in a world of their own." Gilbert suddenly heard Phil say, and he and Anne turned in shock to see the room smiling at the two of them.

He gulped slightly, and moved to apologise. "I'm sorry, that was terribly rude of me." he said, shamefacedly.

"Of us." Anne added, blushing. She noticed that both of their plates had been cleared, and thought with chagrin that they hadn't even noticed- or she hadn't, at any rate.

Phil waved a hand in dismissal. "Don't worry, the rest of us were busy talking as well. The staff is serving coffee and dessert in the drawing room, when we're done." She said, turning to Jo with a tender smile. "We're just about to head in there now."

Gilbert turned back to Anne, and took her hand in his. "Shall we adjourn, Miss Shirley?" he asked lightly.

They rose together and followed the party down the halls lit with ornate sconces, smiling as Phil pointed out the family portraits on the walls.

* * *

It was late that night when Jo stood reluctantly, bending to kiss Phil's cheek, and giving his soon-to-be mother-in-law a gentle smile.

"We started today quite early, so I think it's time to head to bed, if that is alright with you, Mrs Gordon."

"Of course." And I've asked you not to call me Mrs Gordon, Jonas." she said cordially, standing to come to her daughter's side. "Please, call me Maureen."

Jo nodded, with an apologetic smile. "It may take me a little while to get used to that, however I will try. And thank you so much for your hospitality."

Anne had risen with Gilbert, and the two of them had moved into the hallway to say goodnight, away from the still chattering party. He stood there holding her hand, with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Tell me, Anne;" he began, gripping her hand tightly in his own. "You studied psychology more than I did. Tell me why, when I will be closer to you tonight than I am usually able to be- why does it seem so much further now?" Anne looked into his wistful eyes, smiling at the tiredness that she could see him fighting.

He saw the mischievous look on her face then, and smiled. Anne raised her finger to her lips, and pulled him down a little hallway and suddenly into a room, sparsely furnished, and blocked off by heavy curtains.

"Anne, what-" he began, in shock. Without giving him any time to think, she pulled herself into his arms then, and raised her lips to his own. His arms were around her then as they kissed, his breath warm against her mouth, and heart thundering against her own. When several long minutes had gone by, she pulled away a little, placing her hand on his cheek to steady herself.

"I suppose it's because we have a job to do here." she said at last, in answer to his previous question, her grey eyes holding his. "We aren't home yet, and there are proprieties that need to be observed by us here." she said gently, making him smile. "Things you and I do not generally worry about, much to Mrs Lynde's dismay. And I have a feeling that moments like this will become a little rare with the schedules we need to keep."

He chuckled then. "Then I need to let you get some sleep. I want you well rested and able to enjoy the wedding with me."

Anne laughed. "I'll do so for your sake, Gil."

Gilbert bent his head to give her a swift kiss, and then turned them towards the curtained doorway. Anne stopped him with a smile. She opened the door he had not noticed, and found himself looking outside towards the guest house itself.

"How did you-" he said, mystified.

"Phil showed me. She used to use this door to escape from her poor, harassed nanny."

Gilbert heard the menfolk crossing the lawns talking cheerfully, and Anne gave him a little smile. "Go quickly, dearest, they won't even know you were gone."

His lips were on hers then, his hand warm against her smooth neck for just a moment. With a reluctant sigh, Anne saw him go, and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Outside, Gilbert caught up with Jo, walking a little behind Aaron and Patrick. As they walked, Jo turned to look at him shrewdly. "You found the secret exit, didn't you?" he said, amused.

Gilbert stopped in astonishment, and Jo only laughed, clapping a hand on his back. "I wouldn't worry, Gil. Phil showed me that on my first trip here. It's not easy saying goodnight under the eyes of prospective in-laws. Or a house full of people, for that matter."

Gilbert thought with a grin of Mrs Lynde, of Davy and Dora and Marilla. Of the Pyes and the Sloanes, of hurried farewells in the shadows of the front porch, of awkward goodbyes with many eyes watching. "You know, I couldn't agree more."

With a little smile he followed the others into the house, and closed the door behind them.

One day, the privacy of their own house of dreams would become a reality. And he would never be forced to leave her again.


	26. Chapter 26, Wedding Overcomplications

**Chapter 26**

It was nearing noon when Anne found herself standing on a plinth in Madame Girard's dressing room, in the cottage that she used for her workshop. It sat on larger grounds that the family lived in, and the dressing room looked out on a quaint, old-fashioned garden with water fountains dotted around the place. Madame Girard had been fussing and clucking ever since Anne had stepped up to the platform, and chattered away in French to Mrs Gordon. Priscilla, Stella and Phil were waiting nearby, having had their turns earlier. There had been a wondrous moment that morning when Phil had appeared in her gown; exquisitely made, and looking more beautiful than Anne had ever seen her. She herself had swallowed back tears, but most surprisingly she saw Stella wiping away little tears surreptitiously, and came close to put an arm around her friend with an understanding smile.

After over twenty-five minutes of this, she was growing weary. The skirts were a perfect sky blue and immaculately tailored, with the finish she had always admired in Phil's clothing. It was a lovely dress, and ordinarily Anne would have been delighted in the swish of the taffeta skirt. Now, however, after sitting through everyone else's fittings in the stuffy little room, she was starting to feel mildly unwell.

As Mrs Gordon turned to her with a frown, Anne took in a deep breath and tried to pay attention.

"Anne, dear, were your measurements correct?"

Phil looked up from the lounge she had been watching from, surprised. "Yes, mother, I took them myself."

Mrs Gordon gave a little sigh. "I _did_ say that doing this so close to exams might have made a difference. No wonder, with all of the stress you have been under. Your dress and Stella's need some alterations made, Anne; Madame Girard will bring them to the house tonight to try on again. However, it would be advantageous if the two of you could simply eat a little more for the next two days."

Anne looked up blankly at Stella. They hadn't _eaten_ enough? With four oversized courses at every meal?

Stella frowned slightly. "So we are trying them on after the garden party?" she asked.

"Yes, after dinner, and before the dance instructor comes. We will have to be very prompt for the evening, as Mr Featherstone does not like to be kept waiting." Mrs Gordon said, consulting her little pocket journal.

Anne saw Phil give a little groan, briefly burying her face in the arm of the chair. Her eyes met Priscilla's and those of a concerned Stella, and she raised her eyebrow at them, with a little smile. They had already discussed a plan, it looked like they would now need to use it.

"Now, dear, do you think you could try eating a little more?" Mrs Gordon pleaded with the tall red-head, and Anne bit back the retort on her tongue, making herself breathe deeply. She managed a little nod.

Phil stood up at that point, coming to Anne's side. "Mother, speaking of food, we haven't stopped to eat yet this morning; do you think we could continue this after we stop for lunch?" she asked cautiously.

Mrs Gordon looked up in surprise. "Well, yes, there isn't anything more than we can do right now. I suppose it is time to head back."

On slightly shaky legs, Anne stepped down, and thankfully was led to the little ante-room to disrobe. When the voluminous dress and petticoat had been removed, she looked at herself in the mirror with a little frown. Surely she hadn't lost much weight, had she? As she dressed in the white dress with its delicate ivy pattern, she sighed. Either that, or the measurements were wrong.

A wry smile crossed her face at that point, thinking of Phil attempting to get measurements from a surprisingly ticklish Anne. She chuckled, remembering Marilla and Mrs Lynde's frustrations with her when she was younger, as she protested vainly that there was nothing she could do- you couldn't just _decide_ to not be ticklish. It was something Gilbert had discovered quite early in their relationship, and she had blushed at the wicked grin that crossed his face in that moment.

Phil had eventually finished the measurements, but not before an involuntary reflex had acquainted her head with Anne's sharp elbow. She had been fairly good natured about it, but told Anne that she wouldn't repeat the exercise. As Anne laced her boots up again, looking with wonder at the pretty sparkling shoes that Mrs Gordon had chosen for them to wear, she gave a little grin. Madame Girard would fix it, and right now she did need food.

* * *

Back at Mount Holly, the gentlemen had arrived halfway through the elaborate luncheon. Gilbert came straight to Anne's side, with a kiss on her cheek when she handed him a plate of food. When Mrs Gordon called Phil and Jo into her father's study Anne, Stella and Priss sat down to discuss their plan.

"The garden party doesn't start till three, with guests arriving at half past two." Anne said softly. "We want to deflect the attention from Jo and Phil between now and then, to let them have a little time together alone. Phil is missing Jo terribly."

Patrick frowned. "So what do we do if they go looking for the happy couple?"

Stella took over at that point. "If we do our job right, hopefully they will get away before anyone can find them. In the meantime, we will just be as charming as we can."

Aaron pretended to stretch, an unholy grin on his face. "Just show me who to charm, and I'll charm 'em."

Stella laughed at that. "I'm holding you to that, Aaron. In the meantime, keep your smiles and compliments ready."

At a question from Priscilla, the men began to discuss their trip to the tailor, and when Phil and Jo arrived they all managed to forget the size of the room, talking as comfortably as they had at Patty's Place. Anne watched Gilbert's face as he talked and laughed with the others, her hand held tightly in his. She gave a sigh of pure happiness. This was what she had envisioned the two of them doing for Diana's wedding- Diana, who even now was preparing for the birth of their first child. Would the beloved child arrive on the shores of time before they themselves arrived home in Avonlea? A little girl with Diana's black curls, or a sturdy fellow who would follow in his father's footsteps?

* * *

The afternoon of the garden party was as lovely as if it had been made to order- brilliant blue skies, with white puffs of cloud lazily moving across the horizon. Giant marquees had been set up across the lawns, with sumptuous spreads of food and beverages being served from lace covered tables. Anne stepped out onto the veranda, her frilly green dress swishing behind her.

Gilbert met Anne at the veranda, drawing her arm through his with a huge smile. "You look like a garden fairy, sweetheart."

Anne rested her red head against his shoulder for a brief second and then smiled up at him, reaching up to stroke his strong chin. "You look wonderful too, dearest."

"Did Phil enjoy your surprise?" he asked, his face loving.

Anne beamed. " _Our_ surprise, Gilbert. I couldn't have pulled it off alone. She had a wonderful time, and her face was glowing when she and Jo returned." She gave a little laugh, running her hand up his arm unconsciously. "Prissy and Stella kept the staff guessing their whereabouts all afternoon, Aaron sat with Mr Gordon for an hour going over the wedding ceremony- it turns out that he is a little nervous about his part in the ceremony, and was glad for his attention. Patrick kept a lookout at the front entrance-"

"And _we_ kept Mrs Gordon occupied," he added with a grin. "I think we deserved the medal- you and I ended up with about three extra jobs apiece. She _is_ very determined-" he said diplomatically.

Anne chuckled. "Yes. And yet she adores Phil completely. This is just one of her ways of showing it." There came a sheepish smile on her face. "Let us be thankful that neither your mother nor Marilla chooses to show their love in such a demanding form!"

Slowly the two of them walked toward the main tent, with Anne stopping to breathe in the scent of the satin-soft red roses along the pathway.

Gilbert turned to look at her with a small sigh, wishing that the pathway was longer, that he could keep her by his side for the whole day. "Where did Phil and Jo go?"

"Jo took her for a walk to the lake, and they had a blessed hour to themselves- exactly what Phil needs right now. She loved it." Anne turned to him, with a small frown. "She's looking so tired, Gil. I only wish I could shield them a little more."

He took her hand in his, studying her face. "You're doing as much as you can, Anne. All we can do is be here right now." he said practically.

As they reached the main tent, Mrs Gordon was flying around, organising the waiting staff. As she passed by, she stopped with a brief instruction to a waiter and turned to greet her daughter's maid of honour, and Jo's best man.

"Anne, you look lovely, dear. I was wondering if you would be able to settle Jonas' family this afternoon, and make sure that they know where everything is. I understand his grandmother is in a wheelchair, so if you can assist them, Gilbert, I would appreciate that. Jonas' sister is yet to arrive from Kingsport, I understand she will be bringing the baby with her." she said distractedly. She gave them a few more instructions, and then released them only to seize upon Stella and Priscilla.

Anne and Gilbert were delighted to meet Jonas' family. His parents were quiet, warm folk, with a genuine love for the bright girl who had stolen their son's heart. Gilbert saw Anne into a chair beside Mrs Blake, and amused himself by fetching drinks for the family, and professing ignorance whenever anyone asked where the bride and groom were. In the course of his duties, and relieved that Anne could be settled in the shade where he could keep an eye on her, he began to notice that the serving staff stopped at the table more often than was necessary. At first he assumed that Mrs Gordon had wished for especial care for the Blakes, however as he watched them, he realised that Anne was the one they kept approaching. When she had declined the perfect ribbon sandwiches for the third time in a row, Gilbert took her hand in his.

"Could I please ask you to excuse us for a short time; Mrs Blake, Mr Blake? I need to borrow Anne for a little wedding business for Saturday." Gilbert said smoothly, pulling a surprised Anne to her feet. She followed him past the marquee and away from the people, and down a little path fringed with newly planted birches until he stopped in a shady corner of the big garden.

"Anne, I'm just curious, why do those people keep bringing you food that you don't want?" he said, lightly. To his bewilderment, he saw her scowl.

"It's nothing, Gil."

When he merely raised one eyebrow at her, she slumped in defeat. "Mrs Gordon is chasing Stella and I with food." she admitted reluctantly.

His face gave nothing away as he looked around them carefully, and finding no one pulled her into his arms. Anne gave a little sigh, and ran gentle fingers along his lapels.

"Stella's dress and my own aren't fitting as well as they should, so she is chasing us with rich food to make us _eat_ more so that they fit us better." When he still looked confused, she sighed in exasperation. "She says I've lost weight."

Gilbert's hand tightened on her waist. "Oh. Do you _feel_ alright?" he asked, his tone light.

Anne huffed. "Well, of _course_ I do. But I am still only one person, and even if I ate everything she gave me I still don't think that two days would make much difference."

Gilbert held her close then, his hand stroking up and down her back unhurriedly. When he could feel the tension lessening in her body he pulled back from her, and gave her cheek a kiss.

"Do you want me to intercept some of it?" he asked, with a grin. Anne looked relieved, partly since she had feared Mrs Gordon's worrying would concern Gilbert as well.

"Yes, please. I promise I am not _not_ eating," she said, her tone exhausted.

Gilbert's mouth firmed in frustration, seeing the unnecessary stress that had been added. "Anne-girl, don't worry about anything. I promise that you will look like a dream in your blue dress, and I will have on the finest suit I have ever worn," he said with a robust grin. "We _will_ enjoy this wedding together, and then we will go _home_ \- home to the place that knows us and loves us;" he said softly. "Exactly as we are."

She gave a little laugh, slipping her arms around his waist. "This is the most relaxed I've been all day, Gil. It would be lovely to just slip away together, wouldn't it?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Well, I won't say no…" he said expectantly.

"No, dearest, I shouldn't have said that. We have duties this afternoon."

Gilbert turned her toward the path again and bent his head to kiss her nose. "Then let's go and perform them."

Back at the table, Jonas' sister Susan had arrived with her husband Jake. Jonas had proudly introduced them, and the squirming bundle that was his one-month-old nephew. Anne was delighted to be handed the baby while Gilbert fetched refreshments for the exhausted young family, and returned to a sight that made his heart skip in his chest. A grin was on his face, seeing the practised way her slim hand cupped the infant's head and the ease with which she transferred the fussing little boy to her shoulder, chatting to his sweet, brown-haired little mother about newborn sleep routines.

Jonas came up to take the cups of punch from a frozen Gilbert's hand, with an amused smile. "Getting distracted by the future, Gil?" he muttered, turning to see Anne croon to the baby. Gilbert's face was blissful, and he nodded. She would be wonderful, and so _natural_ a mother. As her eyes sparkled, she looked over the baby's head at him with a luminous smile. He took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. It was a promise.

* * *

Later that evening, the eight adults were in the company of Mr Featherstone, a tiny man who had brought his own accompanist with him. The little man walked around correcting arms and feet, and the position of the shoulders, evidently enjoying his work. Gilbert was kindly told that he had been doing the waltz wrong for years, much to his chagrin, but he was more than consoled by the impromptu passionate embrace that Anne pulled him into when no one was looking.

While Mr Featherstone lectured Phil and the others about the correct placement of her hands, and Priscilla was led by a nervous Patrick to the side of the room to work on entering and exiting the floor, Anne and Gilbert kept practising to the music in the dimly lit room.

"I never thought to ask you this before, but who showed you how to dance, Anne?" Gilbert asked as they swayed to the lilting melody.

Anne looked up with a puzzled look. "I suppose the girls did, first. Diana, and Jane and Ruby." Anne smiled. "Ruby would set up miniature balls for us to practice at in her back yard, including lessons on how to talk to a gentleman."

Gilbert swung her in a circle, making her laugh. "And just what did you learn, Miss Shirley?"

Her look was mischievous, as she batted her eyelashes at him becomingly. She then pressed herself tighter into his arms, in a way that made her fiance start at the warmth of her chest on his. Her breath was in his ear, as she whispered- "She taught us how to do this, dearest. Tell me, does it work?"

It was at this point that he began to laugh even harder at the smug expression on Anne's face. "It's- it's very distracting," was all he could trust himself to say, his smile enormous. "I had no _idea_ that was what you girls used to talk about."

Anne shrugged with a little smile. "Oh, I think all girls do," she said thoughtfully. "Phil showed us a dance or two shortly after we all moved into the house together, and then Roy was quite a good instructor with some of the newer dances."

Gilbert gave a short laugh. "Well, then we are heavily indebted to others. My mother taught me when I was about fifteen and made me practice incessantly with my cousins. Ruby taught me a dance or two while we were at Queens- nothing so exciting as what she taught _you_ , it seems, and Christine tried to get me to perform better too, and to practice. She didn't think I was that good at all."

He had been sharing absently and turned back when an indignant Anne stopped cold, her eyes flaming.

"How _dare_ she?" she spat, making Gilbert laugh. "Of all of the inconsiderate, selfish and _shallow_ beings that have walked this earth-"

He chuckled, loving the protective way she responded. "It's all right Anne; after all, I wasn't raised the way she was. And thank heavens for that," he said philosophically. "Like Phil, she would have been taught by a master."

"But it isn't _true_. You dance _beautifully_ , Gil; everyone says so," she said, looking at him with a reproachful look. "You are gentlemanly and strong, and you lead so confidently- you make ladies feel _safe_ when you dance with them."

He smiled, holding her close. "That might just be with you, sweetheart. You're the other half of me, remember. Although I did wonder if I performed more poorly back then because I was always watching you with Roy." he said honestly.

"And I was usually watching you." Anne sighed and turned to him then with a cross look. "And I saw _nothing_ wrong with your performance, whatsoever."

Forgetting the rest of the room Gilbert snatched her close then, with a low laugh.

"Well, now I'm where I'm where I'm supposed to be. And it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks."

Aaron's voice finally penetrated the little world they were in, making Anne pull away with some confusion.

"Well, what do _you_ think, Patrick? Don't you think they are a little too close for this type of dancing?" Aaron asked, his face as innocent as a baby's.

Patrick expertly twirled Priscilla under his arm, and cheerfully agreed, with a grin. Gilbert held Anne close to him smugly until he heard the dance instructor clapping his hands to gain their attention. He solemnly congratulating the group on their efforts, and most especially Jonas, who had successfully mastered the wedding waltz. Phil beamed, holding on to his arm proudly. When the eight of them were alone, Phil looked around at the group with a bright look.

"Would anyone like tea?" she asked suddenly.

When the consensus was yes, Phil led them all into a narrow hallway that opened out into the biggest kitchen Anne had ever seen. She had a kind word for the housekeeper and the cook, who were talking over a cup of tea regarding the rehearsal dinner for the following evening. The two of them moved into the staff room to continue their conversation with loving smiles after the cook admonished Miss Phil to clean up after herself this time. Phil only laughed and kissed her cheek, and got Stella to pull out the tea cups. From the stools around the bench in the centre of the big room, Anne watched Phil with a tender smile. She moved with capability; and far from the will-o-the-wisp girl she had met four years ago, Anne now saw the wife and mother and homemaker that she would be for Jonas and their family. She pulled a tin of cookies from the pantry to go with their tea, talking merrily all the while. After a hurried trip in to see the cook, an iced cake was produced to complete their repast.

With a contented look on her face, Anne turned to watch Gilbert, who along with Aaron was tormenting Phil about turning domestic after four years of wrestling with the academic world. Much freer in the presence of their friends, Jonas gave her a supportive kiss on the cheek, telling her that he loved her for _both_ of those things. Anne thought happily of the times she would spend with them on her visits to Kingsport, of the joy of seeing them in their home on Patterson Street in the future- perhaps one day, with darling little curly haired babies of their own to cuddle at the same time.

There was a small falter in her thoughts then as she studied Gilbert. He would have three more years yet in student accommodation- bland meals and stained wallpaper, shared bathrooms and musty smells. Of going to bed each night alone, with the knowledge of how far she would be from him. Anne closed her eyes in pain. She wanted to take care of him _now_ \- to look after his wellbeing, to be there when times were rough. She wanted to be the one helping him to unwind, to draw him out of the worries that would intrude when he was once more at work. To comfort and demonstrate her love through more than words- even the most powerful words could not enfold, could not physically _touch_ him. It was with an effort that she remembered her own work- the Summerside High School that was waiting for its principal, and the bonus of three last years to be closer to Marilla, close enough to visit home often.

She smiled then. Gilbert and she had spent some time talking with the medical students who had sourced the stethoscope for her; cheerful, pragmatic fellows who spoke of long days, sleepless nights, and corpses that refused to do anyone's bidding in dissection classes. Gilbert had only laughed- his own discussions with Dr Edmonds and his interns had revealed that much already. Oddly enough, understanding how busy he would be in the years to come had brought Anne a measure of peace. Gilbert was keen for the challenge, and he would throw himself into the work wholeheartedly. She could only hope the three years would pass as quickly for _her_.

As Phil placed a steaming cup in front of her, she thought with a little smile of all she would have to do in the coming years- a hope chest would need to be filled, linens of all kinds would need to be made and embroidered- tablecloths and napkins, kitchen cloths and cushions. The stitches Marilla had laboured hard to teach her would decorate her home: a beaded stitch for her napkins, a basket stitch for the kitchen linens. Crocheted lace for pillowslips, and delicate, time-consuming lace for items of a more _personal_ nature. Her cheeks were a rosy pink as she sipped the perfectly brewed tea from the blooming rose teacup in her hand, with a little sigh.

Gilbert was the only one to hear her exhalation and looked across to see his fiancee with a smile and an adorable blush on her cheeks. Leaning in close to speak with her privately, his hazel eyes studied her with a slight smile. "What on earth is making you blush like that, sweetheart? Certainly not church economics."

Anne put a hand to her heating cheek, hearing the others involved in a deep discussion. She smiled sheepishly, seeing Priss seriously discussing the financial needs of a church, no doubt from her own experiences as a minister's daughter. She looked back at Gilbert with an unusually shy look that intrigued him.

Turning so as to not be overheard, Anne gave him a depreciating look. "I was thinking about the work I need to do in the next few years."

Gilbert gave a soft chuckle. "I don't _think_ so, sweetheart. Teaching does _not_ make you look like that."

Her cheeks flamed again, and she laughed. "I meant work of a more _personal_ nature. I have a lot of sewing to do in the next few years."

He pulled a face. "You don't like sewing, Anne."

"Oh, I think _this_ sewing will keep me very well occupied," she said, dryly. "As far from you as I will be, I will have the constant reminder that we are preparing for a home together."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow at her. "Hmm. Yes, I see that. But I don't see why tablecloths should make you blush." His look was cheeky, and she blushed again. There was a twinkle in her eyes then, as she raised them to his.

"Well, if you _must_ know, I was thinking about making sheets."

The effect on him was immediate, and as he caught his breath, he marvelled yet again at the girl who would be his wife. _He_ was the tease, and yet every time Anne Shirley would prove how evenly she could match him. His eyes seemed to burn into her, as he spoke.

"Will you think of me when you work on them?" he asked in a low voice.

Her look was tender. "Gilbert, I won't ever be able to think of anything else."

The kitchen echoed with the quiet laughter and chatter of the group, as Phil and Jo relaxed with those who were closest to them. Both those whose dreams would come true in a little over a day and those who would work toward the fulfilment of them as the years would go by. And while Gilbert and Anne joined in the conversation smoothly a few minutes later, Gilbert's tight clasp on her hand was the confirmation of a promise- of working, of dreaming, and a future together. A life where practical and mundane work would take on new meaning and passion, the outworking of a love that would see them safely through whatever tomorrow would bring.


	27. Chapter 27, In the Night Garden

**Chapter 27**

* * *

The moon was just beginning to rise, and in the soft light a shadow could be seen stepping across the lawn that overlooked the gardens. Brightly lit windows glowed in the guest house and the mansion, filled with a noise and activity that Anne could simply handle no longer.

She followed the pathway between the garden beds, eventually coming to her favourite part of the garden. A constructed brook ran beside the low borders of heartsease and sweet william, with a cherry tree overhead that reminded Anne of the old Snow Queen. She dropped to her knees beside the water with a deep sigh. The last day before the wedding had flown by, and she closed her eyes with thankfulness that the day was over at last.

Anne lay back on the soft grass with gratitude. Through the leaves she could see only faint traces of starlight, the lights of the big house made them once again pale and remote. She thought longingly of her little room at home where she could see a sky filled with starlight, when only the moon was brilliant enough to dim them.

Impatiently she flung her arms above her head, crossing them under her slender neck, irrespective of the elegant lines of the pale yellow gown that she wore. As she settled back, she drew in a deep breath that made her chest rise and fall. Oh, for it to all be over.

The last of the fittings had been done, and the rehearsal dinner had been a success. The families were even now celebrating inside the great house, and the gentlemen were in the guest house with cigars and brandy, according to Phil. Mr Gordon's business partners were staying with their wives, and the staff of the guest house now had a dozen extra people to care for.

Her own wedding would _not_ be like this. There would be fussing, there would be people around after all- she gave a little chuckle, thinking of Diana and Mrs Lynde's excitement- but the people who would be there would only be those who loved them the most. It would be simple, and loving- and there would be Gilbert. Nothing else mattered.

She had seen him at a distance today, coming and going with the other gentlemen. As she watched from a window seat in the ornate parlour, she felt a powerful ache- to be with him, to not be separated from him any longer by convention and busyness. The women sat and talked around elegant teas and beautifully wrapped presents, and yet Anne was removed- wishing, longing to steal away to some secret spot and be with him there. She gave a little sigh as she saw them return from the afternoon in the sunshine, at the sound of the laugh that she loved, heard even at a distance through the open windows. Phil had come alongside of her then, to watch as well.

"I know we aren't getting much time with them." she said reluctantly. "I'm sorry, honey."

Anne sighed and gave a smile that she didn't feel. "It's fine, Phil. And this is all for you."

"No, it's for my parents." Phil said earnestly. "If I had my way, either Patrick or Aaron would perform the ceremony for us right now, and we would be gone by morning." She looked down then with a smile at the boys, who were horsing around like children on the lawns outside.

"You know, I've never seen Gil like this." Phil said, her voice thoughtful. "Well- perhaps not since our first year."

Anne gave a genuine laugh at this. "No, this is the Gilbert I remember from our school days- not that I would exactly have given him the time of day then." she added dryly. "He's quite the life of the party, isn't he?"

He had been going from activity to activity with great energy, and she knew that he had been enjoying the time with the other gentlemen. It seemed petty to wish him away from them when he was having so much fun- and after the rigors of the term, and the tension surrounding their future, surely he had earned the right to relax. Of course, she thought with a smile, she _would_ have preferred to do it together. She had been by his side through the rehearsal dinner, and she knew that he had been as reluctant as she to leave with the gentlemen at the finish of the meal. He had kissed her cheek and told he that he would see her later, something she feared would not happen until they left Bolingbroke. Now she lay on the soft grass, away from the noise and enjoying the sorely needed solitude.

And yet solitude was not meant to be. A well-known step sounded on the little path, and when the steps stopped, she looked up to see Gilbert gazing down on her with an amused smile.

"There's my dryad."

Anne chuckled, suddenly feeling her frustration lift. "And there is my prince among men."

He sat down beside her, loving the sight of her reaching up long arms to hold him. As he nestled in the crook of her arm on the ground, he gave a deep sigh. They lay in silence listening to the trickling water for a long time, and the moon was above the tree line when Anne spoke.

"What is it, dearest?"

Gilbert lifted his head then, to study her, his eyes wide. In the bright moonlight her skin appeared to glow, and he stroked her pale cheek with gentle fingers. Her grey eyes were fixed on him, and for a brief moment he considered telling her everything. Letting go of the burning ache in his chest, the worry that had coiled in his belly from the moment Mrs Saunders had told him. He'd tried to hide it, tried to forget that it was there. Tried to stop searching for signs that may not be there, to let himself relax. But it hadn't worked.

* * *

There had been a moment only that morning when he was standing with Jonas, watching the party of gentlemen on the golf course trying to negotiate a difficult sand trap. He was surprised beyond belief when Jo turned to him, with a curious look in his eyes.

"So what's really going on with you, Gil?"

As Gilbert watched the men walk further away he remained silent, wondering how he could have guessed. Jo sighed.

"Look. You're going to med school next year. You'll be learning all about how to assess people's condition just by looking at them. I know; it's my privilege to work alongside of the medical profession at times. But it happens to be what we're taught to do as well. And my instinct is telling me that there's something wrong."

Gilbert's face turned pale. "You don't need this the day before your wedding, Jo."

Jonas gave him a shrewd look. "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't want to know." He watched Gilbert struggle with himself, his arms tightly folded. "It might help to talk about it."

Gilbert was silent for long moments, and then he suddenly sighed. His eyes were on the trees lining the fairway when he decided. Slowly he began to tell Jo everything.

When Gilbert had finished Jonas let out a deep breath, and in his shock walked away from him for a moment. Gilbert was relieved when he turned back, his face steady.

"And you're sure there's no danger to anyone else?"

Gilbert shook his head, swallowing hard. "No. It's from contaminated water or food. The only one in danger is-"

"Anne." Jo nodded then. He put a hand on Gilbert's shoulder, steadying him. "Alright. As you say you can only wait." He gave a deep sigh then. "Do you want me to let Phil know?"

Gilbert shook his head adamantly. "No. Not yet. I'll write- if- if-" he faltered, and Jonas nodded understandingly. He sighed, looking out at the clouds on the horizon.

"I can't imagine what you're going through right now. But I believe with all my heart that it's going to be alright." He continued thoughtfully. "Look, as much as we hate it, there are hard times we all have to endure- and there are lessons in them that we don't seem to get at any other time. There'll be a way through."

"I hope so. But I'd rather skip the lesson, if you don't mind." Gilbert said, his voice subdued.

Jo chuckled. "I know. We all do. Look, I'm a praying man, Gil. At least I know what I'm praying for."

"You and me both."

Jo bent down to pick up the club his enthusiastic father-in-law-to-be had left with him. "They're all coming back now. But if you need to talk some more, just find me later, alright?"

Gilbert gave him the ghost of a laugh and shook his head. "With all the things you have to do? No, it's alright. It's- helped- to talk it out though. Thanks."

Jo shrugged. "It's the least I can do. But if you will permit me to say this- I think you need to tell Anne." he stated slowly.

Gilbert's head snapped up, startled. "No."

Jonas gave his friend a gentle look. "Gil, she's a courageous lady-"

Gilbert raked a hand through his hair. "Jo, I know that, but _it's too late_. Don't you see? It was already too late by the time I found out. Telling her now won't do any good, and I can't bring that kind of worry on her, especially with the fact that we're still so far from home. Maybe it will all come to nothing. She's well, she's alright right now. If we can just get through one more week-" he broke off, his voice cracking.

Jo looked at him keenly, and finally nodded. "Alright. I'll respect your decision."

Gilbert let out a long breath. "After it's over I'll tell her everything." he said at last. "I promise I will." He rubbed his face with a wry smile. "I'll even tell her that I was an idiot for not telling her straight away. I just- I just can't do it now."

The two of them were surrounded by people within a minute, but Jonas met Gilbert's eye with an imperceptible nod over the crowd of people. When the young gentlemen were walking back to the carriages outside the golf club, Gilbert found his shoulder clapped in one of Jo's big, ungainly hands. He gave him a steadying look, and Gilbert nodded. It was a small relief to tell someone- but it would get him through until he had to face it.

* * *

Under the moonlight with her now, Gilbert looked into her clear-sighted eyes and shook his head. His eyes were studying the hand he held in his own, and he spoke slowly.

"I am thinking about things- but I'm not ready to talk about them yet. Is that alright?" He lifted his eyes to hers then, and she gave a gentle smile.

"You know that it is, Gil." She reached gentle hands up to stroke his cheeks, and then gave a sigh.

Gilbert turned to her then, his senses on alert to every move she made. "Are you alright?"

Anne sat up slowly, her arms coming up to hug her knees.

"Yes- well, no- I don't know."

"I'm not sure that you're easing my mind, Anne-girl."

This made her laugh, and she felt rather than saw him sit up next to her. His arm came around her waist, and he nudged her with his shoulder. She looked out into the dimness around the edge of the main gardens, and she sighed, grateful for the warmth of his arm around her almost bare shoulders.

"I don't exactly know." she said slowly. "Have you ever- ever felt something on the horizon that you just couldn't see?" She tipped her head to look at him, her mouth curving into a teasing smile. "No, of _course_ you haven't. You're far too practical for such fanciful notions."

"Well, thank you for reassuring your lover with opinions of his limitations." Gilbert said dryly, making her laugh. "Of course I _have_ \- at times." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I knew when I was buying the tickets home for Fred and Diana's wedding that something was looming- although _practicality_ did demand that I ignore that." he teased. "Are you claiming any particular knowledge with this feeling?"

Her elbow caught him in the ribs, and he chuckled.

"Of course not." This time she was silent, and he watched her pensive face carefully. "I keep watching all of the fuss- all of the extravaganza and expectation- and it just seems so _pointless_. Oh, not the marriage- but the stress and the busyness of it all. You know it's not what Phil and Jo want."

"I know." He looked at her then, with a sigh. "I hate it too."

Anne turned her head to look at him sharply. "You're not enjoying any of this either?"

Gilbert looked at her, mystified. "Of course not."

"But- but it's looked like you are-" she faltered.

He let out a long sigh. "I'm doing it for them- and for _you_. I'm sure if we'd had more than five minutes together you would have seen how I really felt. I want home." he said baldly. "I want to be with our families. I want to get lost in the privacy and peace of the woods that we love. I want to leave all of this behind- I want no more separation between us- and I want you- all of you." His voice was resigned, and he gave her a brief smile.

Anne's eyes sparkled in the moonlight. To his surprise she stood up, and brushed the grass off her flowing dress. She took his hands in hers, and he rose up, intrigued. She had that look in her eye, the one that he knew he would always follow without hesitation- and he stood up, ready to go.

She looked at the bright lights of the house, and began to lead him away, and along a tall hedge that he supposed bordered the grounds- until they arrived at what was unmistakably an opening in the hedge.

"Anne, what-" he looked bewildered at the long path before them until he suddenly understood. "It's a maze."

"Shhh." she whispered, taking his hands to pull him in further. "You wanted to get lost."

Down innumerable turns, peering around each corner as if to ascertain the correct path, Gilbert watched the girl before him in amazement, wondering if his beloved girl was more sprite or woman at that moment.

"Sweetheart, do you actually know which way to go?" he asked softly in one of the dim corners and was surprised when Anne turned to him with a shining face.

"You look for the rosemary, Gil. It leads you to the centre and home again. To help you remember."

Gilbert looked in shock at the rows of plants that sat underneath the close hedges, and sure enough, here and there through the scented borders were little patches of rosemary, sharp and resiny between the closely clipped walls. There were several more bewildering turns, and then he stopped in shock. The pathway had opened out into a private garden; hedges formed the walls and around the lawns lay immaculately cared for plants, too many to count. A grassed area dipped towards a fountain in the centre, bubbling audibly in the quiet of the garden, with mint that grew thickly at the foot of the stones. An orange tree in flower stood near the fountain, and Gilbert saw tiny orange blossoms floating lazily in the trickling water. He was hit all at once with the scent of the rosemary and the blossoms, the sound of the wind in the nearby birches, and the gleam of moonlight on the water. He turned to Anne, who walked towards him in her light coloured dress, her face tender.

"Phil's great-grandfather designed this for his wife." she said with a smile. "She said that he wanted a place that was just for her- and he planted the orange tree himself on their fortieth wedding anniversary. She died not long afterward." Anne said softly. "No one really comes out here now, although Jacques tends the hedges faithfully all year round."

Gilbert stepped towards her, intending to speak- to tell her something of his amazement, of the beauty of the place. Instead he caught her in his arms, pressing her in to him as if to keep her in his heart permanently. His lips were seeking hers, his hands holding her fiercely. With a tremor of excitement Anne pulled away from him to look into the eyes that seemed to plead with her. She took his face in her hands, and kissed him gently. She was prepared when his arms came around her, lowering her with him to the grass, and she closed her eyes with a little gasp, as his lips moved over her collarbone, and gentle hands moved aside the filmy sleeves of her dress to kiss her smooth shoulders.

Lost in a daze of sensation, her own hands wandered over his firm chest, unbuttoning the neat grey waistcoat that she loved, and loosening his tie even further. He stopped his movements for a moment to give her an amused look, that quickly faded at the sight of the hunger in her eyes.

Distractedly Gilbert thought that the secret garden must have been bewitched- how else to account for the sudden freedom, the sudden lack of reasons to stop? With shaking hands he reached up to pull the pins out of her hair, her red curls spilling out onto the smooth grass and curling around the fingers that slid through it. He kissed her slowly then, moving his lips to touch her soft eyelids, her delicate ears and her temple, exhaling at the feel of her breath against his neck.

When her fingers hovered at the buttons of his shirt, he caught her hands in his, momentarily frozen. She lay beneath him now, breathing quickly, and he dropped his curly head onto her shoulder with a deep sigh.

Anne let the back of her hand fall to cover her eyes. The wind rustled amongst the leaves, and the breeze tossed loose blossoms in a whirl that covered the pair of them. There were gentle chuckles then, as Anne pulled the blossoms from Gilbert's curls, and he moved a reverent hand to brush them from her chest. When he was still silent, Anne placed a hand against his cheek.

"What are you thinking?" she asked softly. She felt his chest move with a laugh and smiled.

"I think it's fairly obvious that I'm _not_ thinking." he said dryly, and gave a deep sigh.

"Sometimes it's nice to stop thinking, and to just _feel_." Anne said slowly.

There was a sudden tightening in his chest then, and he moved from her abruptly to lie beside her on the grass. "I don't know how I'm supposed to leave you." he said, his voice tight.

"Gil-" Anne said softly. "We have to do this- for a time-"

"Anne, what if I didn't take the Cooper?" he said, startling her. His hazel eyes held hers with entreaty. "What if we just-"

"Just _what_?" she said, going pale.

"Just get married." He held her to him tightly, and she caught her breath, trying to retain rational thought.

"You don't mean that, Gil." she said, her voice tortured. " _Please_ don't tease me about that."

His hands gripped her tightly, and there was a look in his eye that both thrilled and terrified her. "I'm not teasing, sweetheart. You said that if I walked away, that you would follow me."

"I will- I _would_ -"

"Then let's not spend another moment apart."

Anne's eyes were huge, and she looked at her fiance, seeing the truth in his eyes. This was no mere whim. "Gilbert-"

"The scholarship-"

"I don't _care_. I'm not leaving you." he said vehemently.

"Gil, this isn't really you talking. Please stay with me, my love." Her hands cupped his anguished face, and she spoke slowly, willing him to think. "You _can't_ let go of it for me. I'm not worth that."

He sat up so suddenly that she slipped, and he had his arms tightly around her, his face furious.

"After _everything_ we've been through, don't you dare say that to me, Anne. Don't you understand by now that you mean more than anything else in the world to me?" he choked. "I can let it all go- but not you."

She took a deep breath then, placing her hand on his chest, somehow trying to steady him.

"Gil, you're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." She brought herself close to brush his lips with her own reassuringly, wanting to dissipate some of the raw emotion of the moment. She pulled back from him then to draw in a shaky breath. "Gilbert, you and I have a long history together. I've known about your ambitions and admired them even before we were friends. I've watched you become the man I fell in love with- and it is your dreams that I am trying to protect. I would wait longer than three years to see those dreams come to pass- dreams that matter to you. You can't tell me they don't, I know you better than that."

His jaw clenched at her gentle words. Would it change if he told her, told her of the fear that even in his current state he knew was controlling him? A moment of clarity came then, a flash in the darkness of his emotions. He wouldn't tell her to sway her. That wasn't who the two of them were. He ran his hands up her long arms, pulling her to him.

Anne shivered slightly as a gust of wind blew past them, and she pressed her face into his neck. When she spoke the words reverberated through him.

"I meant what I said." she said softly. "I'm with you no matter what. But I think that this is a temporary madness that is afflicting us both- and we'll wake up soon enough."

Gilbert rubbed his hands over his face, and then turned to look at the girl beside him. "I know. I just saw us together- every day, every night- no one able to keep us apart-"

When Anne took his hand, she sighed. "I saw it too. And I want- I want so _desperately_ to say yes," she said, her voice unsteady. "But then I imagined you waking up in the morning and finding me beside you, a thousand responsibilities on your shoulders and a lifetime in a career that you didn't want. And I think that eventually you would wish that we hadn't."

He frowned at her firecely. "I would never wish that you and I weren't together-"

She gave a little smile. "No, love, you wouldn't. But you might about the timing. This is all about _timing_."

With a reluctant grin, Gilbert tore some mint leaves off the plants, and threw them into the bubbling fountain. "I _did_ think about timing. I was thinking that there are three ministers in there who could marry us right now, and that we would be on our honeymoon within an hour. And I think you can tell how much I want that."

Anne laughed. "As delightful as that sounds- and it really _does_ , beloved- Mrs Gordon would kill us, Gil. And Phil wouldn't be too impressed either. Or your mother, or Rachel and Marilla, and Di would absolutely-"

Gilbert cut her off with a hard kiss on her mouth. "Alright, you've convinced me." he muttered, a small grin peeking through. He sat against the side of the fountain then, and pulled her to him so that she sat a trifle shyly between his outstretched legs, her back against his chest, and his arms wrapped tightly around her. Gradually she relaxed, although he could feel her blushing at the unaccustomed intimacy. Calm gradually returning to him, Gilbert held her close, his chin resting on top of her head, smiling at the way she turned her cheek into his chest, and whispered her love for him.

He chuckled a little after a few minutes had passed.

"You know, I just realised something."

"Oh?"

"You're all my impracticality rolled into one, Anne-girl."

Anne huffed at that. "You've had that realisation before, Mr Blythe. And it _isn't_ a compliment."

He shook his head, pulling her loose hair over one ivory shoulder, and kissing her neck swiftly. "Well, here's the funny part. When I _do_ go over the top, guess who is the only one who can talk me down?" he asked her. Anne swiveled her head to look at him in surprise. "Do you know how many people have _tried_ when I go off the deep end about you?" he said with a chuckle. "And it's happened a lot. Everyone in our lives has attempted it at one time or another."

Anne sighed, letting her head fall back on his chest. "I'm sorry, Gil."

"Don't be. You're the only voice I listen to when it comes to you and me." he said softly. "And that's just as it should be." His eyes closed in regret then. "Anne, I'm sorry-"

" _No_ , Gil." she said vehemently. "We're not going to apologise for saying how we feel- we can't. We _need_ to tell each other."

Gilbert's hands ran lightly up the sides of her body, and she closed her eyes at his touch. She knew how much he was holding back of himself, and she loved him for it as much as she longed for him. It had never seemed so easy to give in and lose themselves in each other- never had it been so tempting to forget their responsibilities and be together.

Anne turned to look at the man who held her, secretly thrilling at the passion that ran through his veins- the passion she had always sensed as they became friends, but had often been afraid of. She had felt it course through his body that night, and she gave a blissful sigh. At the root of it all was a love that completely enveloped her, and made her feel as safe in his arms as a child.

When they had sat in silence for a time, Anne spoke.

"Gil, as much as this is the right decision; at some point in the future we're both going to remember this conversation, most likely when we are apart, and we'll wish we had made different choice. We _know_ that will happen, and it will hurt." she said honestly. "But deep down you know this is the path you want."

He sighed, his eyes wistfully following the movement of an owl overhead. "I know. But the cost is almost bigger than I want to pay right now."

Anne turned around in his arms to face him on her knees, her hands grasping his own. Gilbert studied her pale face in the moonlight, the face that was calm, and holding his gaze unflinchingly. "It is _worth_ it. It's worth it for me to not lose the part of you that was made to conquer mountains. It's worth it to learn to do the thing that you were made to do- to heal and relieve suffering. It's worth it to build our family when we are ready and prepared; and it is worth it to love and wait and dream together for a time before we become one. But hear this, Gilbert-" her jaw was set, and in a moment that made Gilbert's heart leap into his throat, she kissed him swiftly and placed his hands against the softness of her breast. Her eyes were on his with a fierce tenderness, and underneath his shaking hands he could feel her heartbeat clear and strong. "I am yours _now_ , and will be forever more, Gilbert Blythe. And that is a _promise_."

With a low laugh, he snatched her to himself and held her. When their eyes met again, he pulled her to her feet, and together they left the garden behind them. It was scarcely an hour- and yet the remembrance of her promise would get him through many a tough day to come; days where she seemed a million miles away, when the distance would cause doubt to grow, and fear to threaten to take hold. It was the reason that a little sprig of rosemary would one day be hidden in the bouquet of roses that she carried as she walked down the aisle, and the way he would remind himself in the meantime just what he was working for.

He said goodnight to her at the verandah steps, sighing slightly at the sound of raucous laughter coming from the guest house- Mr Gordon's guests, he assumed.

"Thank you." he said softly. Anne smiled, lifting her face to his. He held her tightly, and then kissed the top of her head. "Do you think you will get any sleep tonight?" he asked lightly. "I'm not liking my own chances. I left Mr Gordon showing pictures of Phil as a baby to his associates. There were a lot of tears."

Anne laughed. "I rather imagine that the amount of sleep I get is up to Phil, dearest. But before anything else happens, I am certainly going right upstairs to take advantage of the lovely hot water and splendid, deep bathtub."

There was a dreamy look on Gilbert's face as he bent to kiss her goodnight once more. As he slowly walked down the steps and the great house swallowed her up, he thrust his hands deep in his pockets. A small portion of the worry he had carried began to lift off him. Of course they could do this; and trust Anne to know him almost better than he knew himself. She would be well, and she would be with him.

Because she promised.

And Anne Shirley never broke her promises.


	28. Chapter 28, Heart to Heart

**Chapter 28**

When the door closed behind Gilbert that night, Anne slipped upstairs to her room, thankfully without being seen. Still feeling the warmth of his arms, still trembling at the intimacy that only grew deeper between the two of them. She could hear laughter in the upstairs salon and guessed that Phil and the girls were still awake. As quietly as she could, she gathered her nightgown and robe and darted into the bathroom, not wanting to talk to anyone just yet.

In the cool of the bathroom, with the ornate brass taps and smooth white walls, Anne locked the door behind her, relieved. She ran the hot water with a smile, marvelling at how swiftly the water filled the tub. The maid had left behind some scented oils to use, and when the warm, rose-scented water had filled the tub, Anne slipped out of her dress and undergarments, pausing in comical dismay at the grass that fell to the floor, and the orange blossoms that were still caught in her hair. She flinched slightly at the memory of Mrs Lynde's voice, commenting on unchaste girls who were ' _given a green dress'_ \- who in her opinion, had been indiscreet. As she stepped into the bathtub, her red hair swinging over her bare shoulders, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were still pink, and she gave a small smile. She really wasn't sorry.

As she lay back in the water, the memories crowded in of the evening, and unbidden tears filled her eyes. How she _loved_ him. Loved him in his strength and steadiness- and as much when he let his guard down and showed her his true vulnerability. As the tears slipped unnoticed down her wet cheeks, she felt as if she had seen herself in him- her impulsiveness, her emotion and her fragility in _his_ flesh.

She knew it would happen- that in weaker moments she would regret not giving in to the emotion of the moment, for being the one who chose the line of duty and common sense over passion. And yet for Gilbert's sake, she had to. He _needed_ her to. He had been right too, as he always was- he had told her that there would be times when one of them would have to be strong when the other couldn't.

With the memory of his anguished face, a sob caught in her throat. She knew he would not regret the decision they made, that he would be thankful- but in the mean time it hurt. It was then with an oddly hysterical chuckle that she thought of Jo's possible reaction had they asked him to marry them that night- as appealing as the idea was, he would never have agreed to a late night impulse in the face of their long-term plans, he would insist that they stop and think. And especially _not_ the night before his own wedding.

When her long hair was washed, she stepped carefully out of the water, releasing the little brass plug. She grabbed the thick towel that sat beside the tub and dried herself carefully, throwing her damp hair over one shoulder to brush later. Dressing quickly and quietly, she stepped into the shadowy hall to the room that sat beside Phil's. Priss and Stella were not back yet, and there was a breath of relief as she sat on her bed, and fell back on her pillows, very much wanting to be alone for a time to think. Suddenly the door opened behind her, and she saw Phil standing there with a look of surprise on her face.

" _There_ you are, Anne! I wondered where you had gotten to. I checked in the salon, and you weren't there."

Anne picked up a hairbrush with a little smile. "Does that mean you weren't in there either?" she asked lightly, laughing at the way that Phil blushed.

"No, I wasn't. I decided it was high time to take some control over my own wedding. Or at least of not being able to see Jo."

Anne sighed. "I'm so glad. You _needed_ to see him, Phil."

Phil nodded candidly. "I certainly did. We walked down to the river in the moonlight- Anne, it was glorious; all lit up with hundreds of fireflies. Jo and I just sat on the bank and talked until it was time to head back. Anne, I'm so thankful that I won't be parted from him after this." She hesitated in the doorway then, watching Anne brush the coppery curls hanging loosely down her back. "Anne, can I ask a thoroughly ridiculous favour of you?" she asked, unusually diffidently.

"Of course."

"Could you stay in my room tonight?"

Anne looked at into Phil's serious eyes in surprise, and after a moment nodded. Phil's nose scrunched up. "I've actually never shared a room before. Ever." she confessed, with a sheepish grin. "Even when I was little, mother never even let my cousins or friends stay in my room. Apparently, I was somewhat of a high maintenance child- yes, laugh all you like, Miss Shirley- so she didn't ever want me to be woken up before I had to be."

Anne ran her fingers through her drying hair. "Weren't you ever lonely by yourself?" she asked.

Phil shrugged. "Yes. Especially when there were storms, or when daddy was away. Mother started the late night cocoa tradition to calm me down before bed when he would travel, actually." She gave an embarrassed little laugh. "So I have absolutely no idea what it's going to be like sharing a room with someone, and there is enough pressure on tomorrow as it is."

Anne came to put her arms around her beloved friend. "Well, I would be honoured to chaperone you for your last night of girlhood, darling. However, I had better let Stella and Priss know where I am so that they don't worry."

Phil sighed with relief, and then turned to give Anne a sly grin.

"Yes, you'd better. And we wouldn't want anyone asking just where _you_ have been all evening Miss Shirley, would we? Or is the real question that _doesn't_ need to be asked _with whom_?" she asked cheekily, flouncing out the door and heading for her own bathroom.

Anne finished brushing her hair with a little smile. She slipped her dressing robe over her white nightgown, and grabbed her pillow, ready to head into Phil's room for the night.

* * *

Priscilla and Stella came in to say goodnight a little later, accepting without question that Phil wanted Anne to stay the night. For half an hour the girls sat on the end of Phil's giant four poster bed in their light nightgowns, talking merrily. Anne sat against the head of the bed, looking at the three of them with a little smile.

Stella caught the look on her face. "Anne, what is it?"

Anne's look was loving, and she wasn't able to hide the tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you all." she said softly. "It's been a wonderful four years together."

Priss tossed her fair hair over one shoulder. "Anne, sweetie, you won't be losing us for several more days yet! There will be time for tears on the boat ride home."

Phil looked mildly indignant. "It is the last night for _me_ though! _I_ won't be there!"

Stella chuckled. "But you will be with _Jonas_ \- and something tells me marriage will keep you from any real repining."

With a big yawn, Priscilla, at last, rose from her corner of the bed, pulling her primrose robe over her shoulders again. "Well, goodnight, my darlings. I need my sleep."

Stella narrowed her eyes teasingly. "Is that because of the early morning walk you and Patrick took before breakfast, dear?"

Priscilla's cheeks were pink, but she held her chin up. "Indeed. You have many fine gardens here, Phil. They are glorious in the morning."

"Well, don't go getting lost in them," Phil said with a chuckle, not noticing the flush that appeared on Anne's cheeks at her words. Priscilla and Stella came around to Phil's side of the bed, and surprised her, each pulling her into a big hug.

Stella smiled. "We will miss you terribly, Phil," she said lightly. "But our loss is Jo's gain… _Mrs Blake_."

Phil laughed as the girls went out of the door, and she sat back on her bed with a sigh.

Anne's red head was already on her pillow, and Phil lay back on hers, watching the filmy white bed curtains blow in the wind from the open window. The moonlight shone in brightly, and the cool breeze whispered around them. Anne smiled, thinking that she could almost catch the scent of orange blossom and rosemary on the wind.

"You know, when you and Jonas come home to visit, you won't even need another bed. This one is enormous." Anne mused. There was a sudden, secret smile on her face then, thinking of her slim little bed at Green Gables. He could never share that with her after they were married, she was certain. Her face heated then as she found herself wondering about Gilbert's bed at home….

Phil was naturally oblivious to this train of thought. "That is true. I do wonder how my father will feel about that, though."

Anne studied the shadows of trees that moved on the wall. "Have you seen the Patterson Street Manse yet?"

Phil sighed. "No. Jo didn't want me to see it until we went home for the first time. The church has re-papered it, and built a new washroom and kitchen- the old one was in terrible shape, I'm told." She was silent for several minutes, then spoke flatly- "Anne, I never expected to have to say this to anyone, and you know how little I like to play the emotional card-" she hesitated, while Anne waited, expectantly. Then- "I'm _scared_ , Anne."

Anne turned her head sharply to view her friend. Phil's face had no trace of teasing on it, and Anne came up to rest on one elbow. It was so wholly unexpected for her to say such a thing, and Anne found herself struggling to find words.

"What of, Phil?" she asked cautiously.

Phil gave a dry laugh. "All of it. Trying to make an acceptable minister's wife. Cooking and keeping a house by myself. Giving birth in the slums. Of never finding anyone who can be a friend in the church. Of not being able to be the wife that Jonas needs- that he deserves." There was a brief hesitation then, and a soft- "And perhaps tomorrow night."

Anne pulled her hair over her shoulder and lay back again, feeling as helpless as she had before Diana's wedding. Remembering that, she realised the little that she could do. She took Phil's hand in hers, and together they were silent for a time.

"What scares you most about tomorrow, Phil?" she asked finally.

Phil blew brown curls out of her eyes and turned to look at Anne. "Oh, not what you would think. I had a talk with my mother-"

"Oh _no_ , Phil-"

She laughed then. "No, it wasn't bad at all. My mother has surprisingly modern notions, and she and my father have a very happy relationship; _physically_ , apparently. As frightening as that _was_ for a daughter to have to listen to." Phil said drolly. "No, it was something else that she said." Phil said slowly. "She told me that after tomorrow night I wouldn't just be me anymore- that I would be a married woman, and couldn't live my life as if I was still single. I would need to learn to know someone outside of myself, who was a part of myself. And that was odd to me- I wouldn't have thought I would struggle with that." She lay back, her hand on her forehead. "But it started me thinking about joining your life to someone- even someone I love as much as Jo. I kept thinking about all there is yet for me to learn about him. About all of the things that _I don't know_ yet. My father jokes that he married society when he married my mother- he didn't know that about her at first. She didn't know that he would travel so much, or that he would refuse to be served fish in our home. And it seems to have taken root in my brain, and I'm _afraid_. I'm afraid of what we don't know, of what we will find when it's just the two of us, alone and away from everyone else. Of what he will learn about me, and I him."

Anne let out a long breath. "I can appreciate that."

Phil turned to her, her eyes pleading. "Anne, use that imagination of yours and tell me something comforting. You're _good_ at this heart business."

Anne closed her eyes, with a groan and a chuckle. "Phil, I am as inexperienced as you are-"

"No, you're _better_ at this." Phil said stubbornly. "You can get inside people and understand them. Come on, help me to sort through this."

Anne pulled her hand from her friend's and sat cross-legged facing her. Phil did likewise and pushed her hair out of her face, her eyes questioning.

"Alright. But for the record, you would do better to talk to someone who is married, Phil. In their absence, if I was to guess," Anne said slowly, "I would say that this is about _trust_."

Phil cocked her head on one side, studying Anne with her brown eyes. "Trust? That's it? Just _trust_?" she said, bemused.

Anne laughed. "No, not ' _just_ ' trust, trust itself is the central issue, I believe. I think you're right- there is so much left to learn about each other. And it's unknown, and a little frightening." Anne was quiet for a time, and then suddenly smiled.

"Did I ever tell you about Mrs Allen?" she asked. When Phil looked confused, she continued. "Another minister's wife. A most beloved one, in fact."

"And she was a perfect paragon, I suppose?"

"No, not at all," Anne said cheerfully. "She was thought to be too pretty, to be far too young, and dress too brightly. Her home was not perfect, and the Ladies Aid did _not_ approve of her linen cupboard. She wasn't at all who Reverend Allen was 'supposed' to choose."

Phil smiled. "I should meet this lady, I feel."

"You should be able to meet her in three years time, dear. I went to her with all of the little worries that I couldn't take to anyone else." There were slight tears in Anne's eyes then, and she sighed. "I do miss her very much. When Gilbert and I were teaching, before we came to Redmond, I went to her, devastated at some of the rumours that had flown around about the two of us. It was still early in our friendship, and so many of the good people of Avonlea were disapproving of what they termed an 'unnatural relationship'. If Gilbert heard the comments, he didn't say anything to me about it, and inside I was crushed. They insisted that there must have been something going on underneath it."

Phil was interested in spite of herself. "What did she tell you?"

Anne smiled. "She said that there would always be those who would disapprove of something- that the main thing was that I trusted Gilbert."

Phil frowned. "But you weren't together then."

"No- but both of our reputations could have been harmed by our association." Anne said simply. "It would have taken very little to create a scandal back then- something that would have injured both of us, especially with the kind of friendship we had. In retrospect, he could have easily compromised my reputation back then, or taken advantage of me- and no one would have believed the word of an orphan over one of the Blythes of Avonlea. When I came to her, Mrs Allan asked me if I felt that I could trust him. She didn't comment one way or the other- she only asked me to decide if his character was worthy of trust. Looking back, I can see that she taught me that it was more important to focus on that, than the fear of what other people could say. I had to trust in the character that I knew was inside of him."

Phil rolled her eyes. "Well, of _course_ Gilbert wouldn't have done anything like that, Anne."

"Exactly." Anne said with a tender smile. "He was completely honourable, both publicly and privately, and a gentleman in every sense of the word- who deserves even more credit, now that I understand the way he felt back then. I can easily see that I was safe now- but based on what I knew of his character, I chose to put my trust in him way back then, before I actually knew what would happen." Anne took Phil's hands in her own. "Phil, you know Jo's character. He is a good man. He's chosen a career of sacrifice and love over one of fame or prestige- and even in his profession, with his talent he could easily find that. Instead, he's chosen to look after those who are most in need of his help. He is a loyal, kind friend to us all; he is generous and so loved by those he shepherds. He is a loving son and brother to his family, who adore him. His friends travelled from their far away mission fields just for the privilege of standing with him on his wedding day. He has respected your parents, no matter what they have asked of him. And whenever you are in the room, Phil darling, he can't take his eyes off you- you can see the pride and love he has for you written all over him. Whatever you may think of yourself at times, he chose _you_ \- he chose the girl he loves to be by his side. His character is worthy of trust- and even amongst all of the things you are yet to _learn_ about him, you know _him_." Anne said firmly.

Phil's cheeks were wet, and she wiped them with the sleeve of her nightgown. "You _are_ good," she said, sniffling, and giggled. "Despite you not being married yet." She sighed then, pushing back her long, brown hair and studying Anne. "I suppose you have been thinking about all of this more often now, what with your relationship with Gilbert."

Anne gave her a cheeky smile. "All the time. It's a wonder I managed to pass college."

Phil laughed. "Thank you, honey." She paused, and then looked at her friend. "Do you ever get worried by anything silly like this now?"

"Oh goodness; quite often," Anne said, with a chuckle.

"Well, make me feel better then, tell me about it." Phil wheedled. "Please tell me I'm not the only one to be this uncertain."

Anne looked at her, with a surprised look. "I don't think I should be doing that the evening before your wedding-"

"Well, dearie, the bride commands it. Carry on."

Anne smiled, her face wistful. "Alright. I'm- I'm afraid of the next three years, unsurprisingly. I'm afraid we'll change." she whispered. "I'm afraid that Gilbert will learn to live without me, that something will happen to take his heart from mine. I'm afraid that we'll become cynical- that we'll lose the closeness that we have now." She gave a little choked laugh. "And I'm desperately afraid that the way we feel won't change at all, and as a result, we'll do something silly that will make us have to let go of all of our hard-fought-for dreams. And yet, paradoxically, I almost wish that we _could_ let that happen so that we wouldn't have to be apart any longer," she added flatly.

Phil laughed. "Oh, sweetie. And yet I understand so well." She looked at her treasured friend, who gave her a twisted smile. "Anne, honey, I promise, we'll be watching out for him in Kingsport. Gil's like a brother to me."

Anne blinked back sudden tears. "Thank you. I knew that you would look after him." She laughed then. "It's just as well that you _aren't_ siblings; I'm not sure that either your mother or Mrs Blythe could have handled the pair of you together."

Phil snorted at that. "I'd be more concerned for yourself, Anne. You _will_ be raising his children, after all."

Anne smiled at her. "True. Phil, darling, do you think you can sleep now? Your mother will be terribly cross if I cause you to have bags under your eyes tomorrow."

She sighed, with a smile for her beloved friend. "True. Thank you, honey."

"It's a privilege. Sleep well, Phil," she said softly.

The two of them were quiet for a time, and after a little while, Anne heard the soft, even sound of Phil's breathing from the far side of the bed. She lay listening to the sound of the wind in the trees for over an hour, feeling more at peace than she had in a while. She thought that the night's adventures had been sorely needed by everyone concerned- although she also thought with a blush that she was glad that Phil and Jo's retreat hadn't been to the little secret garden as well- that could have been embarrassing for everyone.

Was Gilbert sleeping now? Had he been able to find some rest in the noisy guest house? She listened, but could only hear the sound of the wind around the eaves now. It was likely everyone had headed for their beds. She gave a soft sigh. Oh, to have remained in the garden with him, another Adam and Eve sleeping underneath virgin skies.

She lay perfectly still then, thinking about what she said to Phil. She _was_ worried that they would falter, worried that at some point the heat that was evident between them would ignite. Worried that all of their plans and cautions and decisions would be swept away by a moment of impulsiveness that she knew both of them desperately longed to give in to. After a moment, she gave in to her restlessness and moved off the bed as silently as she could, hoping that Phil was tired enough to not be disturbed. She tiptoed across the carpeted floor to the biggest of the windows and sat down on the wide seat that looked out towards the guest house, now silent and dark. She let out a deep breath. The turmoil of the last few weeks had been enormous- no wonder that both she and Gilbert felt turned on their heads at the moment. A long summer would help, they needed to rest.

There was a blush that burned on her cheeks, and she rested her warm face against the cool of the glass, as she thought the sheer delight of having his hands upon her. What on earth could happen in a long summer together? He knew her soul, and she his- what more would change when they knew each other completely? It was a question that she seemed to be asking herself constantly. She'd tried to distract herself, and yet every time he would hold her in his arms, every time she would feel Gilbert's heart beat against her, and the way he would hold her against him so firmly, she would sigh, and smile, and give in to daydreaming again.

She smiled now dreamily, her hands lightly pressing her flat belly. What would it be like, to feel his child growing within her? To create life together- to safeguard it, to hold it within her body- the little boy she imagined with a roguish smile and an adventuring heart, and the little girl with red curls that Gilbert spoke of with eyes aglow. Anne closed her eyes and smiled. As little as she liked her own hair, to give Gilbert what he most wanted would be her greatest joy.

Diana had told her many things- about the sensation of the baby kicking, how strange it was to see her whole stomach suddenly shift to one side as the baby moved- how sweet, and how odd it was to have Fred treat her growing stomach with such reverence. Anne thought she could understand. While they were younger, she had been convinced that sturdy, red Fred had little imagination and no originality. And yet how wrong she had been about him! Gilbert had been wiser. He adored her beloved friend- she knew from Diana's letters how excited he was about their child, and the pride he took in making their home beautiful. Anne thought of Diana with a little sigh. The baby was due in a fortnight now; it could really happen at any time. She said a prayer for the safety of her beloved friend and child, fervently hoping the baby's birth would be safe, and without complication. She gave a wry chuckle, as the wind pushed the curtains out behind her, and she heard the low cooing of a pair of pigeons in the trees. Diana had been able to tell Anne much about pregnancy over the last nine months or so- however, she had not wished to do likewise with her experiences in regards to the children she had seen being born. Diana had enough to be concerned about without dramatic stories, the doctor would be a far better source of information than she would be.

Anne's thoughts had ranged far and wide, beyond the three years and to the home that she and Gilbert would make before she heard the clock in Phil's sitting room chime twice. She stood up from the window with a yawn, finally feeling like she could go to sleep. She blew a kiss towards the guest house with a hope that Gilbert was sleeping soundly, and went to the big old fashioned bed to find her own rest.


	29. Chapter 29, The Wedding Day

**Chapter 29**

The first thing that met Anne's notice on the morning of the wedding day was the scent of a steaming pot of tea, and the sound of a tray being placed on the table in Phil's bedroom. She struggled to sit up slightly, chuckling at the sight and sound of Phil buried under her quilt, snoring, and with a riotous mass of brown curly hair over her face. The sound of birdsong was coming in the window, and there was a stillness in the early morning light that betokened a fine day. She slipped out of bed to stand at the window, breathing in the scent of the freshly cut grass. It was truly a gorgeous day- perfect for her beloved friend's wedding.

There was a slight tap at the door then, and the maid was back with a tray of little pastries.

"Good morning, miss!" Charlotte said kindly. "We're serving breakfast in half an hour, but we've also brought up a bite to eat now, if you would like. Shall I take the other ladies their tea in their room?"

Anne smiled. "Can you bring it in here? I rather think the girls will be in here soon."

Sure enough, by the time Charlotte was back with the other tea cups, Priss and Stella had come into the room to jump onto the bed, causing a scowling Phil to emerge from her pillows.

"You know, Anne, I think this should be the official wedding portrait of Phil." Priscilla teased. "Don't you think so?"

Anne grinned, pushing the hair back from Phil's face. "There you are!" she said brightly. "Happy wedding day, dearest!"

Stella passed a steaming cup of tea into Phil's waiting hands, and after a few minutes Phil was able to speak somewhat clearly.

"Have you never heard of sleeping in?" she demanded, with a yawn.

"Not on a day like today, Phil. And you know your mother will have us busy very soon."

* * *

Anne was called to Mrs Gordon's side soon after breakfast, who touched her cheek with a motherly look of concern at the slight shadows under her eyes, the evidence of a late night. When Anne assured her that she was indeed fine, Mrs Gordon sat her down in the elegant sitting room to hand Anne a closely written list of instructions for the morning. Anne stifled her groan when she looked at it, and looked up with surprise when she heard a knock at the door, and saw Gilbert waiting at the door respectfully. Mrs Gordon gestured for him to come in, and he gave Anne a wink as he did so, sitting in front of the finely crafted desk that Mrs Gordon used. He was handed his own list and told that he needed to keep the groomsmen running on time for the day. As the two of them were dismissed, they heard a gentle cough behind them and turned to see Mrs Gordon looking over her glasses with a twinkle in her eye that suddenly reminded Anne of her daughter.

"I believe morning greetings should take you no longer than five minutes, if you wouldn't mind. We have a schedule to keep, after all."

Anne's cheeks were flushed. "Certainly, Mrs Gordon."

As she took Gilbert's hand and pulled him from the room, Gilbert gave her a bemused smile.

"What was all that about?"

Anne pulled him into a little alcove, reaching up to put her arms around his neck, and lifting her face to kiss him sweetly. "Oh, I think Mrs Gordon is a kindred spirit, underneath it all. Good morning, Gil."

She felt him smiling against her mouth, as he murmured "And a very good morning to you, darling." He pulled away then, looking at her in contentment. "It looks like we'll have plenty to keep us busy, today. Will I be seeing much of you?"

Anne sighed, resting her head against his chest. "I don't think you'll be able to avoid it," she mumbled; and then gave him an embarrassed grin when he looked completely confused. "You'll understand later."

The two of them stood holding each other closely until they heard instructions being issued from the room they had just come from. Gilbert sighed, and held her face in his hands and kissed her firmly. "Two more days, sweetheart, and then we're heading home and away from all of this. Please don't let her wear you out, today." he whispered, holding her to him tightly.

Anne gave him a loving look. "I'm fine. You just make sure that you get a calm groom to the altar, dearest."

Gilbert pulled a note from his pocket with a grin. "Speaking of the groom, can you get this to Phil? We're banished from the house for the morning, and Jo wanted her to have this."

With another kiss they parted, and Anne saw him go with a little sigh.

* * *

Over the next few hours, Anne and the girls were kept busy with their toilette, to be ready for the one-o-clock wedding. Aunt Jimsie hovered over the girls under Mrs Gordon's instructions, calling for tea and refreshments as needed. Mrs Gordon was anxious to keep an eye on all of the proceedings, and used the girls in turn to run and check on the groomsmen in the other house. In the first of these, Anne stepped into the foyer cautiously and was soon met by Gilbert himself, who walked toward her with his hands in his pockets nonchalantly.

"Let me guess, you couldn't live without me." he teased, and seeing no one was around took advantage of the privacy to kiss her.

"No, I can't." Anne said with complete candour, and smiled. "However, I am here at Mrs Gordon's request. I need to report on the readiness of the men's suits, if I may."

Gilbert smiled, taking her by the hand, and walking her out to a small sitting room, where a gentleman was standing next to a rack of neatly pressed clothes.

"Anne, this is Mr Ellison, the gentleman who made the suits. We only just tried them on half an hour ago."

The gentleman bowed smartly, and Anne smiled, with a cheeky glance at Gilbert.

"You may tell Mrs Gordon that I am checking them over myself. Mr Stevens' suit needs a hem adjusted, my assistant is taking care of that as we speak."

They talked for a few minutes until Anne said she had to return to the house. Gilbert walked her out again, pausing to hold her close for a moment. "Can I expect you back again? I would have thought the maid of honour needed to be in attendance to the bride."

Anne laughed. "Oh, I am. But Mrs Gordon has Stella, Priss and I running around with messages. Although I do have a note for Jo, Phil obviously needed to reply to his."

Gilbert chuckled. "So you and I are mere couriers today."

Anne looked at Gilbert with a smile. "Well, in three years time, _we_ will be the king and queen for the day. Others will be doing this for us."

He gave her a disdainful look. "Not like this. You know we don't want it."

She chuckled, enjoying the strength of his arms. "Well, we can start to figure out what we _do_ want, beloved. You and I will choose everything. And to begin with, everyone may wear what they wish."

He kissed the top of her head and released her to go back to the house, with a sigh and a smile. Perhaps the guest list for their own wedding could be quite short…

* * *

It was a brick-red and humiliated Priscilla who returned from the groomsmen the second time, while Phil's hair was being twisted up into intricate patterns. Anne was talking to her merrily to amuse her, and looked up to see the flushed Priss enter the room. Mrs Gordon stepped in to meet the tall girl, her list in one hand.

"Well, dear?" she said kindly.

Priscilla took a deep breath. "All of the gentlemen have commenced getting ready, and should complete that on time."

"Well, I rather thought they _would_ be." Phil's mother said with some impatience. "What I need to know is if everyone is shaving carefully and neatly."

"Oh, mother!" Phil protested.

"Don't ' _oh mother_ ' me, dear, you know that your father is sometimes a little cavalier about his shaving routine. I simply want to make sure the men are presentable." She consulted the delicate pocket watch that she carried, and gave her daughter a smile. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

As soon as she left Priscilla collapsed onto Phil's bed. "I'm never leaving this room again; I am so _embarrassed_!" she moaned.

Anne crept over to her side with a sympathetic look. "What happened, Priss?"

Priscilla sat up, with a scowl for Anne. " _Your fiance_ happened, that's what, Anne. Next time I see Gilbert Blythe, he'd better start running!" She covered her face with a groan. "He saw me coming from the doorway of the lodge, and rather than stay put so I could ask _him_ the most impertinent question to ask of a man, which would have been less dreadful; he grinned at me, and ran inside to get Patrick!" she said furiously. "And then I had to have the conversation with _him_ , of all people!"

Stella was laughing uproariously at this point. "Well, _did_ you ask him?"

Priss shot sparks from her brown eyes at her friend. "Well, I certainly didn't ask him if he was shaving correctly! I think I mumbled something about being ready on time, and-" at this she covered her face with her hands. "And I think I might have asked him something about the weather in Japan?" she said feebly, burying her face in Anne's shoulder, who was giggling but sympathetic.

"Oh, Priss darling, you mustn't worry-" Phil said comfortingly.

"He must think me a complete _idiot_ -"

"No, he won't." Stella said with a grin. "I'm sure he can see that you were embarrassed, Priss. But really, the _weather_?" she teased. "You _did_ remember that you are a BA, didn't you? Couldn't you have come up with something more interesting?"

There was only a small gurgling noise from Priscilla then that made the others laugh for long minutes, until she sighed and sat up, resigned. "Well, if he never writes to me again, we'll know why."

Phil chuckled. "Priss, he's utterly taken with you, and a few embarrassing moments won't ruin that."

Priss directed a scowl at the bride then. "We'll see. And I'm betting it wasn't only Gilbert involved, I'm sure I heard Aaron and Jo laughing as well."

The lady doing Phil's hair stepped away from the bride, her work completed. Phil stood up, her curls artfully arranged to frame her piquant face, and the antique pearl pins placed carefully on her shining hair. There was a moment of awed silence from the girls, before the old Phil spoke, recalling them to the subject at hand. "Darling Priss, I wouldn't worry. Where do you think my mother just went?" There was a brief moment of wide-eyed silence, and Phil gave a wicked grin. "Who do you think is right now demanding that all of the groomsmen submit themselves to have their personal grooming checked?" Anne choked a little, and before the girls knew it they were all laughing hard, including Priscilla.

* * *

On Anne's last trip to the guest house for Mrs Gordon, she walked down the little pathway, holding her head carefully to not dislodge the elaborate arrangement of her red curls and the orchids that had been pinned in there. Gilbert had evidently been watching for her and came out of the doors to meet her on the steps with a big grin.

"It's _my_ turn for a visitor, so it seems."

Anne stepped away from him smiling, her hand up in warning.

"Gil, whatever you do, you are not allowed to mess up my hair." she said drolly. "This took over half an hour to create, and there are about a thousand pins inside of it."

Gilbert grinned, and turned her slightly to see the back. "It's lovely, Anne." He leant in confidentially, putting a careful arm around her waist. "Although I do prefer your hair as it was last night."

Her eyes met his with a big smile, and Gilbert pulled her into a long, sensuous kiss. "By the way, I've got the plan. We get married in Hester Gray's garden." he whispered roguishly.

Anne laughed. The suggestions for their own wedding had been getting sillier and sillier all morning, including one to hold the wedding in the kitchen at Green Gables- after Mrs Gordon insisted on a particularly thorough check of the shine of the groomsman's shoes.

"Dearest, you _know_ no one will walk out there with us."

Gilbert raised one eyebrow. "Darling, I don't care if no one but the minister comes. And he is free to leave just as soon as he is finished." he said dryly, making Anne laugh and blush. She went still then, and he laughed at the dreamy look in her eyes. "You just pictured it, didn't you?"

She gave a big sigh, her arms tightly around him. "I did. And it was marvellous, Gil."

"Do the two of you ever stop?" Jo asked, grinning as he came into the room. Anne laughed then, unsuccessfully trying to withdraw from Gilbert's hold.

"No." Gilbert said with a shrug. "We don't. Speaking of which, Anne, don't you have something for Jo this time?"

Anne handed him a letter with a smile, and the two of them chuckled at the proud grin that stole over his face as he read the short note. He gave them a brief nod and turned to go back to the sitting room.

Anne turned to Gilbert with a little smile. "You'll need to be getting dressed, now, I believe. I'm here to remind you."

He grinned. "Don't you start, Miss Shirley. We're having a light luncheon apparently in-" he checked the list in his pocket- "In twelve minutes, apparently. And _then_ we will all get dressed."

Anne slid into his arms with a little sigh. "And we will do likewise." She looked at him, suddenly worried. "Gil, my dress-"

He kissed her again. "It will be beautiful, and you will look lovely." He reassured her, wondering at the wry grin she gave him.

"Miss Anne!"

Anne stepped back from Gilbert with a blush, and turned to face one of the maids of the house.

"I'm so sorry, Charlotte, did Phil need me?"

"No, miss, but Mrs Gordon said to tell you that it's time to come in," the girl said kindly, and Gilbert gave a small wave as he watched the two of them walk away.

Anne gave a little sigh, and Charlotte cautiously looked at the red-headed girl walking beside her. "Your fiance is _awfully_ handsome." she said to Anne confidentially with a big smile, and was delighted when Anne grinned back.

"He is, isn't he?"

* * *

Only an hour later, Phil stood in front of the big mirror, her eyes meeting Anne's behind her. The rich folds of creamy white silk and lace shone against her skin, and Anne smiled at the perfect picture that she made.

"Do I look alright? I do want to be a perfectly beautiful bride." she said suddenly, making Anne laugh.

"You know that you are, dearest. Quite the daintiest fairy of a bride I have ever seen, in fact." she said lightly.

Phil turned then, sweeping the lace-edged veil to one side to view the girls with a look of pride. Her hands came to her hips then, as she studied them with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, I'll admit it, Mother chose beautifully." Phil said with an amused smile. "You all look wonderful, and that azure blue suits you all so well. Maybe- just _maybe_ this has all been worth it the fuss." she said dubiously, making the girls laugh.

Anne stepped in to take her hand, and Priscilla and Stella came close to form a little circle.

"It is worth it." Anne said with a loving look. "And we are now going to have the time of our lives guarding you from getting lost in the day, and seeing you safely to Jo's side."

Phil's eyes were very nearly brimming, as she tried to put her arms around all three girls at once.

"Philippa, your dress, darling!" her mother said, scandalised, as she came into the room.

Phil pulled away from the girls with a smile, and crossed to pull her surprised mother into a tight hug. "Thank you, mummy." she said softly. "Everything is beautiful, and Jo and I are very thankful for all you have done."

Anne smiled, watching Mrs Gordon become the person that only Andrew and Phil Gordon ever saw, and hug her daughter back warmly. She wondered idly if she was seeing the reason Phil had been so indecisive when growing up, not being sure on any given day which mother she would be getting. Maureen pulled back from her to fix Phil's veil with a smile.

"Well, it's time for the others to go down now, and you and your father will follow in twenty minutes." She turned to the girls, stopping to adjust a curl here, a frill there. She gave Stella's shoulder a pat, and took a deep breath. "Come now, girls, we leave for the church in fifteen minutes." Maureen Gordon said briskly.

* * *

Gilbert and the other groomsmen stood waiting at the foot of the stairs as instructed. Gilbert stood somewhat nervously, wanting Anne to be downstairs and by his side. He was concerned about the amount of running around she had done that morning, and thought that only seeing her would give him a measure of peace again. The rest of the day would be spent together, much to his relief, and he would be able to keep a closer eye on her.

There was a commotion at the head of the stairs at that moment, and Gilbert saw the girls and a group of staff safeguarding the dresses as they descended. At the back of the group of blue dresses, attended by the faithful Charlotte was Anne descending the stairs last of all, holding onto the bannister for support. His eyes followed her, his cheeks flushed and trying to keep his mouth closed, as he walked to the bottom step to meet her. The full skirt of the blue dress swirled around her as she stepped to the floor, her hand in his, and her cheeks as pink as his own. His eyes briefly rested on the way the bodice of the dress fitted her torso firmly before flaring out. He pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, and finally raised twinkling eyes to hers. Her look was chagrined, and Gilbert worked hard to suppress a laugh.

"I did say you would be seeing more of me." she said, attempting to keep her voice even.

Gilbert drew in a breath, and let his eyes briefly caress the way the bodice of her dress had pushed her up, the smooth curves of her ivory breasts more delightfully visible than they had ever been to him. That she was uncomfortable was obvious, and Gilbert was torn between a desire to comfort, and a desire to- well, it was better to not dwell on that one. As well as she knew him, at the moment Gilbert was devoutly glad that she couldn't read his mind. He cleared his throat, and then gave her his full attention.

"Well, you look wonderful, sweetheart."

Seeing that the others were occupied talking with a nervous Jo, Anne slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, resting her face against his broad shoulder for a moment. She gave a wry laugh. "Apparently it's the latest fashion, and all of the rage in Paris. Although I am afraid that in my case appearances are slightly deceitful," she said softly, her lashes down. "You haven't really lived until you've had a maid with her hand down the front of your dress trying to arrange something that isn't there."

Gilbert's jaw dropped open for a brief moment, and he stared at the way that she refused to meet his eyes.

"Anne-"

She lifted her head then and stepped away, affecting an easy smile that didn't fool Gilbert at all.

Checking that the attention remained elsewhere in the busy foyer, Gilbert took his fiancee's elbow until they were around the side of the staircase.

" _Why_ would you feel the need to say that?"

Anne drew in a deep breath and gave him a breezy smile. "Don't be silly, it's fine. Just- call it jitters."

"No. I don't buy it." he said bluntly. "What's really bothering you?"

"Gil, you don't need to hear about this-"

"Try me."

Anne looked at the stubborn set of his jaw and sighed. She could see the others sitting down carefully to wait on the ornate benches lining the foyer, and looked back at him, resigned as he pulled her deeper into the shadows. He brought her to stand before him, her hands in his. She was studying the bracelet on her wrist, a gift from Phil for her bridesmaids, when she answered him with a painful candour she had often used in the past.

"I didn't want you seeing this and thinking this is all me," she said softly. "It would only disappoint you later."

Gilbert bit back the exclamation on his tongue. "That is the _stupidest_ thing I have ever heard you say, Anne Shirley!" he whispered furiously.

Her chin came up then, and the grey eyes flashed a little as she looked him in the eye. "It's _logical_ , actually. I feel _completely_ exposed in this. And for your information, all those little comments about me losing weight actually have some substance to them- I'm smaller than ever- and perhaps this is just _me_ now. And while I am sure that all of the society crowd today will be dressed just like this, I'm not _shaped_ like the others, and I don't dress this way for a reason-"

His lips were on hers then, silencing her. When she had relaxed slightly, he drew back, careful to not disturb her hair or dress. He held her gaze with stern hazel eyes then.

"It's you I love, Anne. You know that. You won't ever disappoint me." He paused then, wanting to reassure, but unsure the wisdom of speaking his thoughts out loud. Eventually, he gave a slight smile. She had been honest with him, the least he could do was to be equally as candid. "Do you know when you first caught my eye?"

This made her chuckle. "I assume you are referring to _Carrots_."

Gilbert grinned. "Naturally. You were only eleven. Do you know what I saw?"

Anne leant against the wall, her hands behind her back, resolutely remaining silent. Gilbert held back a little smile, knowing she was not aware of how her posture drew his eyes to the delicious curves that she had placed his hands on only the night before. He gave a little sigh, trying to focus on her eyes; the green-grey eyes that had first caught his attention.

"It was your expression." he said softly. "You were daydreaming, and you were caught in a world that I didn't have access to. I wanted to see it, I suppose. But lacking any expertise in talking to women-" here Anne laughed- "I made you furious and hurt you instead. And you looked at me like I'd murdered whatever it was that you saw. I felt as badly about that as I did about you getting into trouble." His hands ran up her arms gently, wanting to touch her. "For five years I watched you grow up before my eyes without you ever looking at me like I wanted you to. You- you changed- your body changed, and it became more lovely with every passing week. And I won't tell you that I didn't notice it." Gilbert said with difficulty, folding his arms with a deep flush on his cheeks. "But I wanted to see your eyes looking at me like I was important to you."

Anne's eyes were sparkling with tears by this point. She bit her lower lip, reaching out to take one of his sturdy hands in hers, as he sighed.

"You were sixteen when you finally looked at me that way. And I thought you were gorgeous then. It wasn't the other girls that I was looking at, it was _you_. I wanted _you_. Exactly as you were. But then you kept changing- growing more and more lovely, and then it was no longer enough for you to look at me as a friend." He gave an embarrassed laugh. "I won't deny that I loved your figure more and more as you got older- and no doubt you wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell you otherwise- but I was watching for the change to happen in your eyes. I thought I saw it at Miss Lavender's wedding."

Anne squeezed his hand tightly as a tear fell down her cheek. "You did, Gil, you _did_ see it-"

He continued as if she hadn't spoken, his voice unsteady. "And then you stopped looking at me, because you were afraid to." She watched him swallow, and brought her gloved hand up to caress his cheek. "You were afraid of what you would see in _my_ eyes. I saw yours hurting more than I could take in the orchard- and it killed me again in the hurricane. But after that was all over, I finally saw it." He gave her a heartfelt smile. "I saw you look at me the way I look at _you_." He reached up to wipe the tear that fell down her satiny cheek. "Anne, you are the most beautiful creature in the world to me, and I don't care what you're wearing. I love the way you look, and believe me, today you are beautiful beyond description. You know that we're both going to change as time goes by; neither of us will look like this forever. But it's you- it's _you_ I fell in love with. And when you look at me like you do, I feel like I'm the king of the world. That's all I need to see."

Anne drew in a breath and rested her cheek against his shoulder as he pulled her close. "You have that for all time, Gil."

He smiled, taking her hand in his again, and the two of them looked towards the group, who were now standing, and being given instructions by Mrs Gordon. Phil and her father would only come down after they were all in the carriages, and Anne knew that the groom would be bundled off post-haste with the other gentlemen. She turned to Gilbert with a little sigh.

"I do wish I was travelling with you." she admitted, making him chuckle.

"Just a walk down the aisle, and then you're with me for the day, sweetheart."

Anne turned to him then, her look unconsciously vulnerable. "So the dress does look alright?"

She saw the twinkle in his eye then, and he bent over to whisper something into her ear that made her eyes widen and breath catch. When he finally stepped back and took her hand to lead her to meet Priscilla and Stella, he winked at her.

Anne was the last to be handed into the carriage, and Gilbert bent in close as he assisted her.

"In three years time?" he asked in a whisper, with the mischievous grin that she loved. Her cheeks were a bright pink, and she gave a small laugh.

"You have yourself a deal, Mr Blythe."

* * *

When the carriages pulled up at the enormous church in which Phil had been christened, the girls were helped down and ushered into the foyer carefully. Mrs Gordon was flying around in a panic, placing large bouquets of blush roses into each of their hands. Stella held Priscilla's flowers while she adjusted Anne's sash, and each stood with a nervous anticipation, awaiting Phil's arrival. Conversations were stilted and half finished, and Anne took a deep breath, willing her nervous stomach to settle.

At last Phil was assisted into the foyer with them, her train carefully held up, and arms full of orchids and white roses. Anne smiled, her heart full as she took a look at the future Mrs Blake. There was a look of peace and happiness on her face, and she was completely calm. The girls drew close for a moment, and it was Phil herself who asked them- "Are we ready?"

Priscilla wiped a small tear away and answered for all of them.

"Yes. Come on, darling; now let's get you up that aisle, and safely married."

* * *

Gilbert was standing at the front of the church next to Jo when he saw movement at the rear of the church. The big organ had begun to play, and he stood up straight, only to be nudged by Aaron.

"We've still got a minute. Relax."

Gilbert chuckled. He'd forgotten that of the four of them, the other three were used to standing at the front of a church, used to leading them.

"Do you often do weddings like this?" he asked him, curiously.

Aaron laughed. "At the mission? No. This is unique. At home, people can't afford lavish celebrations. The last wedding I officiated was in a neighbour's dingy little parlour, and only the bride and groom and their parents were present." His blue eyes shone fondly. "There was a good deal of love, though."

Gilbert's hands were in his pockets, and he grinned. "Sounds like my kind of wedding."

Aaron gestured at Jo, who was watching the movement at the doors eagerly. "Once upon a time Jo would have said the same. But look at him now. It's all down to who you marry, Gil. Everything else passes away, and none of it really matters. Whatever your own wedding is like, as long as you leave with her, then that's all that ever _will_ matter."

The music changed then, and Gilbert smiled as the other three ministers stood to attention in a trice. He stepped beside Jo, and turned to look through the open doors. The members of the congregation stood, and Gilbert looked out on the people as they turned to see Phil's young cousin Eric escort Mrs Gordon to her place in the front row of the church. On the other side, he saw Jonas' baby nephew cooing in his mother's arms; and his parents standing nearby, a delicate handkerchief clutched in Mrs Blake's shaking hand.

Gilbert took a deep breath as he watched the bridesmaids walking up the aisle. Beloved Priss and Stella, the former with a shy glance for Patrick, who was standing with a soft smile on Aaron's other side. Anne came last of all, and he felt his chest swell, as he watched the light of the stained glass windows on her bright hair and soft, pale skin. He breathed in as she walked, his jaw set. The three years would soon pass. He would work and wait until it was their turn to walk up the aisle. As she took her place across from him, Gilbert swallowed. There was one thing that had dwelt in his mind over the past few hours, ever since the wedding rehearsal that had had them all in stitches the previous day. He had watched her in her summery floral dress, laughing at Stella's antics at the front of the church, as Anne walked up the aisle- alone. There was one thing about their wedding that he would insist on. _He_ would be the one walking her up the aisle. She would not walk by herself, they would walk to the altar together. His gaze met hers briefly before they turned to see Phil standing in the doorway with her father, glowing in her bridal finery and confidently stepping towards the man she loved. As her father placed her hand in a radiant Jo's before moving to Mrs Gordon's side, the elderly minister's confident voice echoed through the building.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today…."


	30. Chapter 30, The Wedding Reception

**Chapter 30**

At three in the afternoon, Gilbert stood under the shade of a tree, watching the new Mr and Mrs Blake talk with friends, showing them her gleaming golden band. He smiled, spotting the dresses of the girls moving through the crowd, and turned his head to check on Anne. She was sitting on the stone bench beside him, the wide blue skirts settling around her prettily.

He stretched out the stiff muscles in his shoulders with a little sigh. Even at that point, it had been a long day. Innumerable people had swarmed the bridal party following the ceremony, and he was thankful for the big blue dress that helped him to keep track of Anne's movements. Despite the joy of the occasion, there was a faint unease that Gilbert strove to hide from Anne yet again. During the carefully posed photographs earlier that day, he had broken out in a cold sweat when she stumbled slightly. It was decreed that the girls needed a break in the warmth of the day, and the photographer kindly waited until all of them had taken time for a rest. Gilbert had soon spirited Anne away on some pretext, puzzling her when all he seemed to want to do was sit holding her hand in a quiet space.

Mrs Gordon had organised refreshments for the guests on the extensive church grounds, served by staff in immaculate black and white uniforms. Patrick and Aaron amused themselves by bringing un-asked for glasses of punch to guests who had cornered the bride and groom, making quite a game of extricating them from the pressing crowd. Gilbert kept a jealous watch over Anne, taking jobs that she had been given and doing them before she had a chance to stand up, much to her bemusement. He was pleased to see some colour come back into her pale cheeks, and drew in a deep breath of relief. Surely it didn't mean anything; it was a warm day- many of the guests had parasols and fans moving in an effort to stay cool. Still, when Jo and Phil came to ask the pair to come and meet some guests, over the top of Anne's red head Gilbert met Jo's eyes with a brief shake of his own. Jo's concerned eyes flickered to Anne, and he effortlessly redirected Phil, much to Gilbert's relief.

There were other diversions- Anne and Gilbert were introduced to the famous Cousin Mary- and were somewhat stunned to meet an amiable young woman, who was snub-nosed and friendly, not at all the sophisticated socialite they had assumed her to be. She gushed over Phil's dress and the flower decorated carriage with an enthusiasm that only Mrs Gordon herself could rival.

Anne was approached by several people she had met previously at Mount Holly, including one of Mr Gordon's the business partners; the smiling and rotund Mr Bowles, who had only arrived that day. Gilbert was taken aback when the man approached Anne with a hearty kiss on the hand, and had to choke back a laugh at Anne's startled look. The little gentleman introduced Anne to his wife as if she were a long lost daughter, only for her to be to be wrapped up in a warm hug by Mrs Bowles as well. When their effusive talk simmered down a little, Anne introduced Gilbert proudly, with a pretty blush on her cheeks that made him smile. His hand was pumped then, and Gilbert was congratulated on winning the heart of the dear girl. When they had moved off, Anne reclined against Gilbert, laughing helplessly.

"Well, apart from the fact that they think you are an angel, although I do agree with them; I really can't see the joke, sweetheart."

Anne turned bright eyes to him. "Oh, Mr Bowles was staying at Mount Holly when I came here two years ago. He and Mr Gordon had a series of business meetings at the time, and he was at dinner with the family every night. I wouldn't have thought he would remember me."

Gilbert chuckled. "It takes a lot to forget you, Anne."

"Apparently so." She gave a little sigh. "It shows that people remember kindnesses, I suppose. He was away from home when his youngest daughter became very ill."

Gilbert tensed ever so slightly. "Oh?"

"He was terribly worried, she was such a little thing, you see. She was very young, and he would talk to me about her by the hour." Anne gave a little sigh then. "When I left I asked Phil to find out how things went, and Mrs Gordon wrote some months later to say that she had thankfully recovered." She nestled her head against his shoulder and smiled wryly. "He also used to ask me about my young man."

Gilbert looked down at her, with some vulnerability in his expression. "Two years ago?"

Anne slipped her hand into his. "He would never believe me when I said there wasn't one. And he couldn't know how much it was hurting me to be teased so soon after your first proposal."

Gilbert smiled and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Anne looked at him with loving, grey eyes. "Don't be, Gil. The pain was there as a prelude to something far more wonderful." She was thoughtful then, and he stood watching her for a moment. "I suppose it always is."

Gilbert pulled away from her then, studiously adjusting his cuff links. "Do you really think so?" he asked lightly.

"Of course. Pain is necessary to life, I believe." She tucked a wayward curl behind one ear, and looked at the group of people talking happily on the lawns; impeccably dressed in stylish outfits and elegant hats. Anne smiled to see Phil and Jo, who were never more than a short distance apart moving through the crowd, the white of her gown and veil easily distinguishable amongst the throng. "Everything in life has pain involved, Gil. Birth is pain, and yet look at what joy there is once it is over. The work we have just completed at college- and you and I are surely testimony that it is true. I don't think we can really appreciate our happiness without some pain."

Gilbert's hazel eyes were bright as he turned to his fiancee. "I think we've been through enough already to be able to appreciate it; don't you, Anne-girl?"

Anne laughed, slipping her arms around his waist, and looking up at him. "And don't we appreciate our happiness more?"

He grinned reluctantly. "Maybe so. Well, Miss Shirley; personally, I aim to stamp it out altogether."

Anne chuckled. "As a doctor, I suppose you will. However, I maintain my point that it's necessary at times. You know that it is." She looked at him then, with a frown that made him raise his eyebrows. "You once told me you would fence all hurt out of my life if you could."

Gilbert met her look evenly. "Wouldn't you do that for me?"

She nodded, with a depreciating smile. "Yes, I would. But as wonderful as that thought is, it isn't possible, no matter how much we love each other."

He bent his curly head to kiss her and sighed. "I suppose not." He gave her a wry grin. "Doesn't mean I'm not going to try."

The two of them were joined by Stella and Priscilla then, with the gentlemen not far behind them. Priscilla was fanning herself, clearly feeling the heat as well.

"Well, I was just hugged by someone I have never met." Stella said in a sprightly tone. "He wished me well on my upcoming European tour, and asked me to give my regards to my dear mother. He had heard that she was in Provence for the summer with her new husband."

Priscilla laughed. "He was very confident of the fact, Stella, I must say. Anne, Gilbert- Mrs Gordon says we will be leaving in a short time, to freshen up before this evening. Are you ready to come?"

Anne nodded, and turned to an unusually quiet Gilbert. He felt Anne slip her hand into his, and finally looked into her smiling face, determined. Yes, she was probably right about the necessity of pain- but he would fight it for all he was worth.

* * *

Within a short time, the relieved bridal party were taken away in carriages to the hotel. Much to everyone's surprise, they were led to an elegant suite of rooms, and told that they had at least two hours before the first of the guests would arrive. The table was set out with little delicacies and refreshments, and all care had been taken to make the room pleasant. The ladies were told that a maid would be on hand to help them to fix their hair and clothing when necessary, and for the moment the eight of them were all able to rest in the cool and spacious sitting room together, with Phil's parents flitting in and out every now and then seeing to smaller arrangements. Gilbert removed his jacket and sat down in relief on the brocade sofa with Anne, and loosened his elegant tie with an explosive sigh that made his fiancee giggle. Aaron, Patrick and Jo were happy to shed their coats as well, and it was a contented party who sat and talked happily in the peace and quiet.

Gilbert watched Anne's expressive face as she talked and laughed with their friends, simply enjoying the opportunity to be with her. He gave a little grin as he watched Patrick guardedly take the seat beside Priscilla. Priscilla had become more relaxed with Patrick over the course of the last few days, and if the way she looked up at him was any indication, he had more of a chance than he realised. It had taken a few nudges from the gentlemen for him to ask Priscilla to accompany him on his morning walks, and Gilbert couldn't help but feel for him. Only too well did he remember what it felt like to be so unsure, to wonder if a future with the girl you loved was even possible.

Eventually the low hum of conversation, the comfort of the sofa and Anne's presence at his side proved too much for him, and holding her hand in his he fell asleep. More tired than even he realised, the conversation went on around Gilbert, and people came and went from the room without him stirring. As he slept, the girls were able to freshen up and rest for a short time in the lovely rooms, and Patrick and Aaron took a walk around the hotel grounds while they waited.

When the clock over the mantle chimed five and the late afternoon breeze was blowing the amber curtains in the suite, Anne returned to the sitting room to find the others preparing to leave, talking quietly. Jo's smile at her was broad, and as they turned to Gilbert with big smiles, he tapped his watch with raised eyebrows at a suddenly flushed Anne.

"Don't be long." he said mischievously.

Anne chuckled. "We'll be down in a few minutes, I promise."

"You'd better be, honey, you know that mother will come looking for you both. We need to meet her downstairs soon." Phil said, with a wink.

Anne waved them away, and turned back to Gilbert. Her smile was tender, as she watched him. Ever the handsome boy he had always been, she let her eyes trace over his beloved features. His brown hair fell across his forehead in the curls she so loved, the hazel eyes hidden behind lashes that were even longer than her own. She studied with a smile the strong jaw and chin she had long admired, and the delicious mouth, with which she was so delightfully acquainted. She chuckled then, a laugh that seemed to be born out of sheer joy.

He'd been so tired since the end of college, and as she sat beside him, she put a reassuring hand on his chest, expecting him to awaken at any moment. When he only mumbled a little in his sleep, she traced her fingertips over his face, and after a moment rolled her eyes, as that was met with the same response. Eventually he stirred at the sensation of soft lips on his own, and he opened his eyes to see a smiling Anne hovering above him. He stretched, a lazy grin on his face.

"You look more rested, Anne-girl." he said, his voice still husky from sleep.

"It's you who slept, dearest." she said, amused. She bent to kiss him again, and this time long arms came up to pull her down to him.

"Gilbert, anyone could come in!" she whispered, laughing.

"I'm afraid I don't really care." he whispered, and she surrendered to his touch with a sigh. Completely forgetting that they had somewhere to be, Anne kissed him back with an abandon that brought his hands firmly around her waist, while her own blissfully slid into his brown hair. Minutes were lost in this way until Anne suddenly pulled back, holding his eyes with a wide-eyed look.

"Gilbert?"

He smiled at the sight of her flushed face, at the feeling of her light weight resting completely on him. "Yes?"

"You said that you- you liked looking into my eyes earlier?" she said breathlessly.

Gilbert's eyebrow flew up at her unexpected words, and he hesitated. "Yes?"

"Please don't look down right now."

Understanding only took a moment. It was with an effort that he did as she asked, keeping his eyes on hers with a small grin on his face. "Would it be easier if I just closed my eyes?" he asked, compassionately.

"Yes, please. Until I can get my dress straightened out."

He released her with a chuckle, and listened as she fled into one of the bathrooms. He stood up then, and crossed to the mirror to re-settle his tie with the same dreamy smile. It was still in place when she emerged a few minutes later, her cheeks still flushed. He came to stand before her, and took her hands in his.

"Thank you." she whispered.

Gilbert cocked his head to one side at her words. "For what?"

Anne's smile was big, but her eyes were glimmering with tears.

"For loving me so much."

Gilbert bent to kiss her tenderly. "You goose. You know I couldn't stop if I tried."

* * *

It was several hours into the reception when Gilbert stood at the wedding table to give his speech to the waiting bride and groom and their guests. Anne watched him proudly from her seat, marvelling at the changes that had come since Diana's wedding last year. This was how she had envisaged that wedding- working and standing together for their beloved friends' happiness. Anne pictured him as he had been back then- so thin and defeated, so unlike the strong boy she had known, so unlike the man who stood beside her now. She remembered that he had watched her through his speech then, too. Anne's breath caught as she recalled the words he had spoken twelve months ago- she _remembered_.

 _'Love is not love, which alters when it alteration finds…'_

She hadn't seen it- she hadn't seen that he had been speaking to _her_. They were last words-it was meant to be _goodbye_. For a moment she felt the terror that she had back then in the schoolhouse- the fear that had gripped her when she realised that he was leaving. If he had gone to Oxford- if he had taken the scholarship- he would not have come back. She knew that now. He would have made his life in a distant land, leaving behind his Island, and broken-hearted parents. As Anne wiped a tear from her face, she shuddered. She knew now what it would have done to her own heart- what it would have done to his.

Anne willed herself to breathe, as she listened to him now. It was over- it hadn't happened. They had argued- and they had cried. She had kissed him. He had returned to Redmond. The late night walks, and awakening feelings- him holding her hand so tightly, even then. Nights spent studying together, climbing trees and falling asleep in front of the fire. Sharing letters and meals, laughing and teasing each other, becoming again the inseparable duo they had been. Gradually letting down walls until he had access to every secret hurt, every hidden fear- and until at last, he had claimed his rightful place in her heart.

He gave her a little smile then, as he pulled out of his pocket the poem that she had written. It was a little thing, a fancy she had suggested as a jest to Phil, who nevertheless took it seriously- inspired by the immortal words of Ruth to Naomi.

 _Urge me not to leave thee - to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest, I go._

Only a week ago, Anne had sat in the orchard at Patty's Place, with Gilbert sound asleep beside her as she worked on the verses for hours. Pausing every now and then to study his sweet face, and indulge herself in dreams too sweet to share. She had presented it to Phil that evening. In one of the few times she had seen Phillipa Gordon cry, Phil had only requested that they not tell Jonas, that it be read as it stood on their wedding day. As Gilbert finished the verse, he held Anne's eyes with a sweet smile. He understood. It was as much a tribute to him, as his speech long ago had been for her. He sat down beside her to the applause of the guests, and he drew in a deep breath, chuckling as he saw an emotional Jo embracing his new bride.

"Sweetheart, that was wonderful." Gilbert said softly, with a grin. "I swear I don't know how you do it."

Anne smiled, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "It's a moment of inspiration, darling- followed by hours and hours of impossibly hard work."

He chuckled. "I've seen you at that work. Ink everywhere, usually on your hands and the table, little pieces of paper scattered over the desk, and that dreamy look on your face as you look for the right word."

Anne tipped her head on one side thoughtfully. "You're yet to read some of the things I've written over the last few months, Gil- we've had so little time, that I didn't want to waste it with my scribbling."

Gilbert frowned at that comment. "I would have gladly _taken_ the time, Anne."

"Well, as I preferred to spend my time kissing you, rather than _reading_ to you-" she said delicately.

"You could have done _both_ -" he grumbled, a small grin peeking through. Her face was close enough to his own that he could study each freckle on her shapely nose, and he smiled contentedly. "You, whispering sonnets of love, while your lips press into mine-" he teased quietly, before grinning. "Oh, we are _definitely_ doing that this summer."

They were interrupted then when the entire table rose, and Gilbert took her hand to assist her up from her seat. As the music began, Jo led Phil to the floor with a smile on his face, matching the giddy expression on Phil's.

Anne stood with the girls watching her with tears in her eyes. It was done- Phil was now Mrs Blake, and she could see happiness written all over her friend. She turned to find Gilbert at her elbow, and relaxed. He offered her his arm as the other gentlemen did to Stella and Priss, and the party joined the bride and groom on the dance floor. Holding her closer than was necessary, Anne was surprised to feel Gilbert's chuckle against her cheek. She looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, and he grinned.

"I've forgotten what it was that the dance instructor said I did wrong."

Anne's eyes twinkled. "Nothing, dearest. At least, nothing as far as I am concerned."

He held her close to him, enjoying the feel of her body held safely in his arms. "What's the plan for tomorrow?" he asked. "I hope no more big events."

She laughed at that, watching the parents of the bride and groom take to the floor. "Mrs Gordon spoke to me about that earlier. Between now and the time we catch the train on Monday morning, we are free to do whatever we like- she told me that meals will be served at the usual times in the dining room, however we are free to simply relax and enjoy the house. To be honest, I think she is worried about how empty the house will feel tonight."

"Not with all of her guests there."

Anne gave a little sigh. "Yes, but without Phil, it will seem empty to her parents. As it must do to your mother at times- and to Marilla."

Gilbert looked around with a smile at the sound of Priscilla's laugh, to where she and Patrick were dancing nearby. Anne followed his eyes, and grinned.

"They _do_ seem happy." she commented.

Gilbert held her hand in his a little tighter. "He leaves for Japan again next week. And he and Aaron leave Bolingbroke for Kingsport tomorrow night." he said after a moment.

Anne's look was compassionate. "So, no teasing her, please, Gil. I have a feeling she will be miserable enough." She sighed, but tipped her head to look up at him. "You know, I have it easier than everyone else- well, perhaps not so easy as Phil will have it," she added with a smile. "Everyone else has to part ways- I get to go home with _you_ , dearest."

"And that's where I envy Jo and Phil." he said, amused. "Home is right where I want to _take_ you, sweetheart." Her look was chagrined, and he shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest eloping again." He said sheepishly. "I know last night I got a bit out of hand. I promise that I will go to medical school, just like we planned. And that I will be patient."

Anne sighed, her look at the bride and groom wistful. "I wish I could promise that I will be all the time. You know I won't be, though."

Gilbert's fingers wrapped around hers tightly, and spoke quietly. "Anne, I know why you did it- and you did it for me. You were right- to throw everything we worked for away is foolish. It's costing us both- but I swear I'll make it up to you- to both of us."

Anne looked at him with a smile that seemed to blossom from the inside out. "Do you know, I just realised- _you_ , future Doctor Blythe, will deliver our precious babies."

His eyebrows flew up, and he pulled her closer with a big grin. "I will- unless I'm too nervous as an expectant father. I might have to call someone else."

Anne laughed then. "I know you better than _that_ , Gil. You wouldn't trust anyone else do it."

* * *

Only half an hour later, Anne went looking for the girls, with Gilbert at her side. Phil had vanished as well, un-missed for the moment with a dance floor that was filled with elegantly moving couples. She found them in an empty room next to the ballroom, and smiled to see them chatting happily. In only a short time she would be leaving with Jo; she had heard Mrs Gordon planning that with the concierge. Phil grabbed Anne's hand, and pulled her close, with a smile for Gilbert.

"Anne, honey, I wanted to thank you for today. You and the girls have made our day wonderful- I was just telling Stella and Priss that." The evidence was before her, in a Priscilla who was resolutely wiping back tears, and a Stella with suspiciously bright eyes. Anne hugged her friend close, and smiled to see Jonas enter with Aaron and Patrick.

"The dance floor is becoming overwhelming." Aaron said drolly. "We were looking for all of you- no wonder you escaped."

"Only briefly." Phil said with a yawn.

Anne looked around at the group with a smile- one that had become easy and comfortable so quickly. She almost shook her head, glancing at the two missionaries. How swiftly they had fitted in with her friends- how quickly they had become close to them all. Aaron would head back to St John for one more week with his family before going back to Borneo, Patrick would leave Kingsport on Tuesday morning on the train bound for New York to meet the steamer. She sighed, watching the ease that Gilbert had found with the two gentlemen- he would miss them as well. She watched the smile cross his face as they joked, loving the comfort he had with them.

The room was dim compared to the brilliance of the ballroom, and music drifted in through the door sweetly. It was Gilbert who first stepped close to Anne, making her laugh with a courtly bow that reminded her of Roy's previous formality.

"Miss Shirley, would you care to dance in this much less crowded space? I feel that this particular entertainment must end soon." His eyes twinkled at her.

Anne laughed, allowing herself to be pulled close again, and saw to her pleasure that Phil had taken Jo's hands with her big crooked smile. Jonas looked shy but pleased, and Anne knew that he would feel more comfortable dancing with his new wife, in this low-lit room with only close friends nearby. She saw Aaron give a quick look at a blushing Patrick and Priscilla, and he bent to whisper something to Stella, who grinned. She accepted his hand as well, giving Patrick the courage to finally hold his hand out to Priscilla.

There was something magical in the little room- close friends and congeniality, the safety of love and intimacy in the space. Anne reflected on the overwhelming sound and presence in the other room, and knew that _this_ would be the way she would remember Phil's wedding. Phil was gloriously happy- she would leave this world behind her, and wouldn't look back.

It was Aaron who insisted on a dance with the bride first, and with laughter, all of the ladies changed hands. Gilbert took Priscilla's hand, after swearing he wouldn't do anything to embarrass her again. He gave her a grin though, seeing that her eyes had gone to a Patrick who was now dancing with Anne.

"Gilbert Blythe, stop that!" Priss hissed.

" _What_? I'm just smiling. That's what you _do_ when you're happy, isn't it?" he asked innocently.

"I don't see why you should be so smug, after everything we did to support _your_ romancing." she grumbled.

"I'm smug _because_ of what you did." he argued. "You don't need to tell me to be grateful, I already _am_."

"Well, see that you are. You know we could have all told Anne back in September that you loved her."

He raised one eyebrow at her. "Then why didn't you?"

Priscilla laughed. "For the same reason _you_ didn't back then. She needed time."

Gilbert looked at her as she gave a little sigh. "You've still got some time, Priss." he said frankly.

"Maybe." she gave a little sigh. "Will you both come and see me when you're both at home? I'm only a train ride away from Avonlea."

"Of course, Priss. And you can come and see us sometimes, too." he assured her.

A deliberate cough at one side made him laugh then, as Aaron stood ready to cut in on Gilbert's dance with Priscilla, signalling that it was time to change again. Gilbert was then favoured with the bride's hand, and the pair of them grinned, watching Aaron stalk away with her.

Phil nudged him. "I think he's going to suggest that Patrick should get a move on." she muttered to Gilbert, her brown eyes sparkling. "I do hope so."

Before they left the room to join the rest of the guests, Phil and Jo stopped to say a private goodbye to the others, knowing that their farewells outside the room would be hurried and conducted in public. Phil drew the girls close, stopping to hug Anne last of all.

"I'll write as soon as I can, although ' _we married women have never much time for writing'_." She quoted wickedly, making Anne laugh at the incongruity of Lydia Bennett's marriage advice.

"Well, _make_ the time, Phil, I want to hear all about 'the land of Evangeline' from you, and I very much want to know how you get on with your new parish."

Phil held her close, sobering then. "Of course I will. You write too, honey- in amongst all of the frolicking in the fields that you do."

Anne promised, and she watched Phil take Jo's hand to leave.

"Mother wants you all to be out the front when we leave, so come in a few minutes. Oh dear, where did I put that bouquet? Gilbert, would you be a dear and fetch it for me?"

He gave Anne a squeeze on her shoulder, and followed the others out. Anne stayed behind in the dimness, standing perfectly still for a moment. Her cheeks had suddenly gone pale, and she walked slowly to the chairs that had been pushed to the side of the little room. She drew in a shaking breath as she sat down, wondering if the heat of the day had managed to get to her after all. The nausea gradually subsided, and thankfully before Gilbert entered the room again.

"Anne, why didn't you follow us? We're needed for the impromptu goodbye that Mrs Gordon is carefully staging." he said, his voice matter of fact.

Anne gave him a little smile. "Oh, I was just thinking. I'll come now, darling." She held her hand out to him, not willing to admit to herself that she did so because her legs had become so unsteady. She wondered briefly at the gentle way he assisted her- wondered if he could see how she was trembling. It was _nothing_ \- she was simply tired. She wouldn't worry him. She gave Gilbert her brightest smile and lifted her head confidently, but her hand clung to his tightly as they left the room together.


	31. Chapter 31, Shadow Falling

**Chapter 31**

The evening train rattled and clicked along the branch line between Charlottetown and Bright River, winding its way along the coast. They passed through little townships and valleys, places that they had grown accustomed to seeing in daylight, now small patches of light that were barely recognisable. Gilbert sat unmoving, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside, as they made their way towards home and hearth again. Anne gave a little sigh from where she lay against his shoulder, and he turned toward the sound anxiously, only to relax when he saw that she was still sleeping. He found it easier this way.

She'd slept most of the way from Bolingbroke, listening to the gentle conversation between the others. When the four of them had boarded the boat together, Gilbert had insisted on her being tucked into a berth safely, seeing that she was barely functioning. His heart slammed in his chest when she didn't fight him at all, although there was the smile he knew as she gave him a push out of the door.

"I'm not breaking my winning streak, Gil. I will be up in time to see the red cliffs that I love."

He laughed at that, a bright sound that quickly faded as soon as the door closed behind her. A similarly exhausted Priscilla and Stella had gone to the lounge, however, he didn't wish to see anyone at that moment. It was to the front of the ship he went now to sit on the damp wooden bench, staring out across the waters blankly.

* * *

Gilbert had chafed at the extra time in Bolingbroke, wishing that they had chosen instead to leave on Sunday. He reluctantly had to admit that all four of the Islanders were exhausted, himself included. Worry over Anne had become a way of life recently, and while he was impatient to be off, he was thankful that she had taken some time to sleep early in the afternoon. In the meantime Gilbert excused himself to pack his bags when the other gentlemen did, to be ready as soon as he could. There was however, an added interest in staying- in watching Patrick and Priscilla.

They had all attended the big church with Phil's parents in the morning, and the rest of the day had been spent basking on the lawns, between the sumptuous meals the staff had provided. The talk had been lively and fun that day, however as the time of Aaron and Patrick's departure approached an expectant silence hung over the group. It was a subdued party that met for afternoon tea with Phil's parents in the sitting room. Aaron and Stella talked with the others cheerfully enough, however then silence would fall, and words unspoken would echo in the little room. Gilbert met Anne's eye thoughtfully, who was watching Priscilla's pale face and untouched teacup. It was with an effort that the others continued the conversation after the Gordons left the room, until at last a silent Patrick stood, his eyes studiously on the ground. He had the eyes of the room when he walked to a stunned Priss, and took her hand to take her from the room, without meeting anyone's eyes.

A collective sigh went up as they watched them leave, and Stella flopped back on her chair then.

"Well, thank heavens for _that_." she said bluntly, with a twinkle in her eye. "I thought we were going to spontaneously combust with all the tension."

Anne turned to Aaron, her face sober. "How often do the two of you tend to come back to Canada, Aaron?"

Aaron gave half-hearted smile. "The board prefers us to only come back annually. Sometimes they will make exceptions, though." He sighed. "That's why he hesitated. He has to go back. He didn't know what he could offer her."

"He can offer her _him_. It's all she needs." Gilbert said softly, and Anne looked at him with bright, tear-filled eyes, and threw herself into his arms with a little laugh.

"Gilbert Blythe, you wonderful romantic!" she cried, making him chuckle.

"I learned from the best, Anne-girl."

Aaron turned to Stella with a mock pout. "Why don't _I_ get a hug for being charming?"

Stella laughed then. "Charm doesn't get you everything, Mr Anderson. I would condescend to wave at you across the street, though." she added, as if making a great concession.

He humphed. "Not from Vancouver to Borneo, you won't. I see how it is."

Anne laughed. Stella had said that there was a young lady in St John that Aaron had spoken of fondly- she had suspected that his last week there might allow for a similar conversation. Stella had enjoyed her time with Aaron immensely, however Anne could see that her excitement was building for the end of the summer, when she would be away at work, making a new home for herself. She would be working in a high school amongst the very projects she had researched, and she and Anne had often discussed adapting to the challenges of teaching in specific geographical and social communities. Anne had little idea what awaited her in Summerside culturally, although she guessed from the description of the school that the town's wealthiest families attended.

No questions were asked when an hour later, Patrick and Priscilla came back inside, although all took note of the shy colour on both of their faces. Soon, Patrick and Aaron were gathering their belongings and preparing to leave, to meet the evening train to Kingsport. Mr and Mrs Gordon came down to farewell the young men, and to thank them for being a part of their daughter's wedding day. Goodbyes were said and addresses exchanged, and the luggage was loaded into the waiting carriage. Aaron was already in his seat, and Gilbert, Anne and Stella had stepped back to give the couple some privacy, when Patrick bent his dark head to press a gentle kiss to Priscilla's cheek. His eyes were only on her as he took his place, and Stella and Anne stepped beside Priscilla as the footmen closed the door behind him. He gave a twisted smile, and lifted his hand- and they were gone.

That night, both Stella and Priscilla went to bed early, after all three girls had packed their belongings. Anne had slept earlier in the day, and after a spectacular late sunset, she stepped out onto the dimly lit veranda with a smile. She knew that he would find her, as she walked down the tree-lined pathways. Running a hand along the prickle of the hedges, she lifted her skirts to step across the border to enter the maze once again. She meandered through the paths, leisurely picking flowers as she moved. To her surprise, when she reached the centre of the maze Gilbert was already waiting, and she smiled in contentment as he gave her hands a tug, down into his waiting arms.

"I thought I'd be waiting for you." she said quietly.

"Not a chance. I was packed hours ago. Is Priss alright?"

Anne turned to study the starlight above them. "She will be. I think it will be easier when she is back home."

She could hear the grin in his voice. "So did she say what happened while they were outside?"

Anne laughed. "No. The colour of her cheeks said enough, though. We didn't tell everyone everything, did we?"

"And I stand by that decision." he said dryly. "They knew enough."

There was peace in the garden for some time, as the two of them watched the moon rise, enormous and golden, rising over the hedges. Gilbert turned to see Anne's contented look, marvelling at the play of expressions moving across her face. She raised her hand then as if cupping the golden light.

"I always feel that the moon is sad, even on a bright golden night such as this." she said suddenly. "Like a lover doomed to pursue her beloved for all eternity, with no hope of capturing him."

Gilbert smiled, playing with her hand. "And yet she does catch her love at times, doesn't she? There are times when the sun and moon exist in the daytime sky together."

Anne shook her head seriously. "And yet they can never meet as equals- he looms, so large and bright in the sky, eclipsing the little light that she could offer him. She moves across the sky almost unnoticed, looking back at him wistfully- oh Gil, it's so _sad_ -"

He came up on one elbow, chuckling at the tears in her big grey eyes. "How do you do that, Anne? You know it's your imagination, and yet it moves you as it does everyone else."

She gave a slight laugh. "It's a gift, I suppose."

In the moonlight he studied her face, brushing her red hair across her forehead. "Would you keep pursuing me?"

She smiled, stroking the side of his face. "We aren't the sun and the moon, darling. We're more like two stars that move together- like a constellation."

"So we can't lose the other."

"Exactly."

Gilbert held her hand to his chest then, a big sigh escaping him. "So you wouldn't let anything part us then."

At this Anne sat up, a frown on her face. "Wait, Gil, is this a serious question?"

He looked up at her consideringly. "No- well, I don't know."

"That is just maddeningly unhelpful."

Gilbert laughed then. "I suppose so." He frowned, attempted to sort through the muddled thoughts in his mind, wondering what he could possibly say to explain himself. "I'm not talking about you changing your mind. I think we've known each other long enough for me to understand that about you. I'm just- thinking about all that life can throw at us. About things that we can't control."

Anne took his face in her hands, smiling when his strong hands came up to rest on her waist. He pulled her to him, a little smile on his face in the bright moonlight.

"What are you asking, Gil?" she said softly. "I don't think it's whether or not I love you. I'd hit you with another slate if I thought you were questioning that."

He chuckled at that. "Trust you for that, Anne." He was silent for a minute. "I'm asking you if things do happen to us that we can't control- things that could separate us- could you cross any divide to get to me?"

She looked at him in the moonlight, and he swore he could see the luminous green in her eyes as she spoke. "You _know_ that I would, Gilbert Blythe. I'm _yours_ \- and you are mine. For as long as we both may live."

He caught his breath as the words struck him. He knew that he couldn't ask her what he had. He knew she couldn't really tell him what he wanted to know. But he also knew that look on her face- while there was breath in her, then that was exactly what she would do. And that had to be enough.

When she kissed him at last, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly, he gave her a warm smile.

"Sweetheart, I just realised that no-one may know you're not in bed- we'd better head back, in case the doors to both houses get locked at night."

She chuckled, and he helped her to her feet. "Especially since we have an early start in the morning. We wouldn't want to be kept out all night."

There was a grin on Gilbert's face at her comment, one that made her laugh as well. "I'm sure I could keep us warm enough, darling."

Anne tucked her hair behind one ear with a blush that even he could see in the moonlight. "I'm sure you could."

When they reached the door to the big house- which thankfully was still unlocked- Gilbert pulled her close to him. "I'll see you bright and early, Miss Shirley. They're serving breakfast for us at six, apparently."

Anne smiled, kissing him softly. "I'll be there."

He stepped away with a last kiss, and Anne watched him cross the lawns to the doors of the lodge, gingerly trying the handle. When it opened he gave a small wave, and the two of them closed the doors behind them.

* * *

As the waves slapped against the boat and the ocean spray came onto the deck, Gilbert sighed, looking at his pocket watch. There was still another hour until they would reach Charlottetown Harbour. The strait stretched out ahead of him, the waters he had seemed to cross endlessly over the last four years. The thought of another three made him sigh. Another three- _if_ \- his thought jammed up at this point. He had been going back and forwards between hope and fear for the past few days- she had seemed well enough the day before. But on this day, Gilbert found himself pleading to remain blind- to not see what was becoming frighteningly obvious. Things couldn't be alright.

He was just thinking about going to find the others, when he felt someone sit down beside him. Startled, he turned to see a little man with a long beard, wearing a faded cassock.

"You don't mind?" the man said jovially. "I've been looking for a place to rest my feet."

Gilbert shook his head, turning back to the water, his eyes dull. There was a soundless chuckle that shook the bench then.

"Son, if you don't mind me saying so, you look like you could use some confession."

Gilbert let out a choked laugh. "But I'm not Catholic, sir."

The little man looked at him shrewdly.

"Come now, even a good Protestant needs it at times." He shot him with a stern look then. "You _are_ a decent one, aren't you?"

Gilbert managed a grin at that. "I try to be."

"Then I am at your disposal."

The younger man paused, and suddenly felt a weight drop from his shoulders. Here he didn't have to pretend, didn't have to lie. He found himself talking to the man with a candour that surprised him.

"It's- it's not so easy as confessing." he said slowly. "It's complicated. My- the woman I love might be sick."

There was a slight pause. "You don't look like that when someone's simply sick, son."

"It's- it's worse than that." he muttered. "She's everything to me- and as hard as I try, I can't keep her safe."

The priest nodded. "We're not meant to set our hearts on the things of this world." he said gently. "But we do. It's part of the human condition."

Gilbert was silent for a moment. "It's all my fault." he said, his throat tightening.

The gentleman looked at him piercingly. "Is it really?"

There was a bitter chuckle from him. "I had- something that I needed to do. And I couldn't go, she wouldn't let me. Because I was sick. But she didn't want me to worry about it- so she went for me. And now she's the one in danger."

"Greater love hath no man." he murmured, bringing Gilbert's head around. "That's not your fault, son. That sounds like sacrifice to me."

At that, a spasm of pain shot through him, and a distraught Gilbert buried his head in his hands. "It shouldn't be- she didn't know-"

The man gave a big sigh. " _Would_ she sacrifice anything for you?"

Gilbert blinked at the tears building in his eyes. He knew the answer to that, he could see the determination in her green eyes even then. "She- she would. But I wish that I could stop her from doing it-" he choked.

The priest laid a heavy hand on his back. "If she would choose it for you, then you can't fight it, son. Is it certain?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No. I don't know. I don't know if I'm just seeing what I'm afraid to see. If we can just make it through another couple of days-"

"I see. Does she know?"

Gilbert looked into the kind eyes of the man beside him. Why- _why_ did they all ask that of him? He paused, and shook his head. "I- I couldn't tell her."

To his relief, he only nodded. "That's a big burden to be carrying alone." he said thoughtfully. "You know, sometimes I think that fear is worse than the thing we fear itself."

Gilbert gave a dry laugh. "What I fear is pretty bad."

"Then all you can do is pray."

There was a short silence between them, as Gilbert watched the steel coloured waves rush to meet the front of the boat. He gave a deep sigh, and nodded, turning to look at his companion. "Thank you, sir." The little man patted his knee, as he stood slowly.

"Be strong, son. You'll find that there's always a way through. And in the meantime-" Gilbert felt something drop into his lap- a little string of beads. He looked up at the priest blankly, who chuckled. "It's a rosary. To remind you what you need to do."

Gilbert floundered, then. "But- but don't you need it?"

The priest gave a big smile. "Oh, I carry spares- I'm always losing them. Thank you for the seat, young man. I'll be getting to my next appointment."

Without understanding what he meant, Gilbert watched the little man enter the big doors to the lounge. He looked down at the beads, still surprised by their inexplicable presence. Clutching them tightly in his hand, he stood up slowly and went to the railing then to look over, willing the boat to move swiftly. He needed to get her home again.

* * *

In Charlottetown there was only time for the briefest of farewells with Stella and Priscilla. Both of their families had arrived to meet the boat in the rain, and Gilbert and Anne's train was due to leave within a short time itself. Gilbert ushered her from the platform anxiously. They were only a short distance from home now, his father would be waiting at Bright River to deliver them home. When he sat down beside her, he was pleased to see that she met his eyes with a little smile.

"Gil, I'm afraid I've been no company today." she said tiredly. "Would you mind if I just slept for the rest of the trip?"

He turned to her with an easy smile. "As long as you promise me you'll be good and rested for our first day back home." he said, his voice light. "We have woods to lose ourselves in."

Anne chuckled. "Your Uncle Dave is there still, remember? Your mother wrote that he's only staying until tomorrow night."

"Oh. I'd forgotten." he said, deflating.

"Surely we can wait for a day, Gil. After all, Marilla won't want me running away as soon as I make it home." She gave a sleepy smile then. "On Wednesday we can go anywhere you would like, I promise."

Gilbert felt his heart lift a little. So they would. And for a short time, it looked as if hope might be winning.

He'd worked it out. All of the research he had done- books and papers he had read, all indicated that by Wednesday at the latest he would know- it would be over. If the day came and went without incident, she would be fine. He looked down at her with a little frown. Of course, even if there was no typhoid, she was still more tired than he had ever seen her. And she was certainly thinner. He gave a little smile. Marilla and Mrs Lynde would soon get to work on that, naturally. He had seen first hand at Christmas the way they and his mother had kept coming into the parlour to bring tea and little treats, fussing and clucking that the two of them needed some fattening up. He recalled how Anne's face had blanched at the offer of yet another piece of pie at the table one evening, two nights before they returned to Redmond. He had tried to eat himself to please all three mothers, both natural, adopted and honorary, but Mrs Lynde had shot him a look of suspicion any time Anne refused food. He couldn't quite see how she could think it his fault.

As he listened to her breathing become steady, he settled her against him, stretching out on the seat himself. It had only been five months ago that they were preparing to go back to Redmond, with so much ahead of them. It seemed almost comical now that the long, hard fight for the Cooper had been so swiftly replaced by other concerns.

He moved the hat that Anne had taken off to the little shelf beside him and smiled, catching the scent of her copper curls for a moment. He let his mind drift over the term that had gone- it had been harder than he had thought it would be- and yet infinitely more wonderful. The work had been the hardest he had ever attempted- more demanding assignments, hours upon hours of study. And through it all Anne had been there- supporting him, quizzing him on what he needed to learn, pulling him from study when he had forgotten simple things- such as _eating_. He chuckled at the memory of one afternoon alone on the shore, not long ago, when he had been worrying about a particular assignment. She had tried to divert him with other topics, to tempt him with some of Phil's cooking- which _had_ improved a little, certainly. But no- he had grizzled about the essay, worrying about the marks- until she got that look in her eyes that made his own widen, wondering what she was planning to do. The next thing he knew he was on the ground and she was kissing him in a way that removed every sensible thought from his mind, with only vague thoughts lazily brushing his mind- mostly that he was thankful for the long beach grass that waved gently in the breeze, hiding them from sight on the deserted shore. He never did get back to the assignment that afternoon.

She shifted slightly, and he could feel her breath against his neck, where he had loosened his collar. He smiled then. Easter had changed things between them again- there was an openness between them now that still left him breathless. He remembered the girl he had watched from afar- the one with pure ideals, who never stooped to the petty jealousies and coquettish games of the other girls. She remained that person still- and yet it was to _him_ she opened her most secret thoughts and feelings- allowing him to see her desire and longing for _him,_ and him alone! He carefully picked up the hand that held his ring, and smiled. It was lovely on her hand- he couldn't now regret the diamond he had once dreamed of her wearing. He moved it slightly, smiling when it slipped to show the impression it had left on her finger. Six months since she had been wearing it- almost a year since he learned how much she cared- and it still caught him by surprise. There was a stubbornness that welled up in him at this point, and he pulled her closer as they swayed with the movement of the train. Nothing should come between them again, _nothing_.

* * *

His father was there to meet the weary travellers with a warm hug for each at Bright River, and he loaded their bags into the buggy while Gilbert assisted Anne in. As they drove he chatted sociably to them about his birthday visit from Dr Dave and Aunt Mary Maria, who had thankfully left that day for Charlottetown. Gilbert could only be glad that he had missed her on this trip.

"Oh, Uncle Dave said he had something to talk to you about tomorrow, Gil. You're not getting him to do research for you, are you?" John said with a raised eyebrow.

Gilbert gave a light laugh, seeing that Anne was thankfully not paying attention. "Just some school stuff, dad. How's mother?"

When at last they arrived at Green Gables, he assisted Anne down, thankful to see that she had woken up a bit more now. Marilla met her in the dim yard with a warm hug, not seeming to notice anything different about her girl. A relieved Gilbert rubbed his face with shaky hands, wondering if all of this had simply been in his head. Well, he would know soon enough. He gave Anne a swift kiss, and had his father out the doors in quick order, wanting to let Anne get to bed as soon as may be. She farewelled him with a light laugh, assuring him that the fresh air of Avonlea was the most powerful restorative known to exist.

* * *

It was early on Wednesday morning when Gilbert came walking up the road towards Green Gables, a picnic basket in one hand, and a lightness in his heart that had not been there for several weeks. It was over. Twenty-eight days, the paper had said. Twenty-eight days had passed, and they were fine. She had to be- or they would have sent word to him. There was a gleam in his eye, as he thought about taking her back to Hester Grey's garden. She couldn't know the relief in his heart- although his step suddenly faltered. He would need to tell her about Timothy now- she would know that he had kept that back from her. Would she be very angry with him? Would she have wanted to say goodbye?

He had gone to the funeral, his heart twisting in pain and fear, looking at the older children in shabby black dresses and suits; mourning the boy who had cared for them as best as he knew how to do. He'd stayed long enough to give Timothy's aunt and uncle a nod, before escaping to a dim part of St Johns, his grief and fear overwhelming him. Bereft of her arms, of the soothing voice she spoke over him in her love, he'd remained there for several hours. The gravestones were old and weathered, and his heart clenched in terror. It _couldn't_ happen to her. It couldn't, because he couldn't live without her.

When he arrived at the gate of Green Gables, he looked up to see her sitting on the veranda, waiting for him with a book in her hand. He noticed her stillness and walked softly, not wanting to scare her; bending over sweetly to give her a light kiss on her forehead.

"I thought I'd find you ready to go, sweetheart. Mother insisted that the two of us are a little on the thin side, she's packed enough food for an army, I believe." he continued, pulling a tablecloth from the basket. "Mother sent this back to Marilla, I'll take it through to her."

He was only gone for a minute, and returned to the veranda to find that Anne had not moved. He knelt down at her feet, and for the first time looked at the lack of colour on her cheeks. His own face turned pale, and he moved gentle hands to cup her chin.

"Anne? Sweetheart?"

She seemed to be trying to speak, and in the silence, he could hear his own heartbeat thudding anxiously.

"I should have told you something, Gil;" she said, her voice shaking. "But I didn't want to worry you- and I thought it would go away."

An involuntary sound of terror left Gilbert's throat, and his hands moved to tightly clasp her arms. "Anne, what's wrong?"

She shivered, her voice broken. "Gilbert, I- I don't feel very well. I haven't since before we left Kingsport." Tears were filling her eyes, and she turned in pain from the ashen look on Gilbert's face. He turned from her then, one hand clutching the post of the verandah. Wanting to believe it was a dream, that it was before Convocation, before the Cooper. Before any of this could happen. A sob that cut him like a knife broke from her throat. "I- I think there's a reason I'm losing weight. I can't seem to keep anything inside me- and I'm so _tired_ \- and I- my head has been hurting."

Gilbert was a long while in turning around.* When Anne's frightened eyes finally met his, she flinched at the pain on his face. He moved to her slowly, and bent over her then. He lifting her slight form in his arms, as a bitter tear traced its way down his anguished face. As her head fell against his shoulder and he held her close, he pushed the door open to the kitchen to meet a terrified Marilla.

"We need to send for the doctor. Now." he choked, as he moved without permission to carry her upstairs to her little white room.

* * *

For over an hour Gilbert sat downstairs in the kitchen, holding his hat in shaking hands. Marilla had insisted he leave her room immediately, Mrs Lynde had closed the door in his face. He'd gone, not knowing what else to do. He had been the one to speak to the doctor when he arrived, whose face had immediately become grave before hastening upstairs. The doctor had been there for only a short time when Marilla came down the stairs, followed by Mrs Lynde. He rose to meet her and stood in the doorway of the kitchen as Dora came in from the washroom, a basket in her hands. The basket fell when Marilla spoke, a look of terror coming to her little face. Marilla dropped to her chair, her face bloodless. For a moment she refused to meet Gilbert's eyes, and she spoke the single word he had been dreading. Rachel stepped towards Marilla, her face pinched, and her mouth trembling.

"You have to tell him now. It's best for everyone."

Marilla finally looked at Gilbert, her voice shaking.

"Gilbert, you need to leave."

His lips were white as he stared back at her. "No-" he pleaded. "I have to be here for her-"

"You can't do anything else for her." Rachel said bluntly, moving in front of her friend. "She's been sick for some time, by the look of things. You need to go home. We'll call you when- when she-" she broke off, when Gilbert crossed the room to Marilla in quick strides.

"Marilla, she _needs_ me- you know that- you can't ask me to leave her-" he pleaded, his voice hoarse.

Marilla's face was set, and she looked at him dully.

"The doctor says that we need to keep her quiet, she needs rest. There isn't anything that you can do for her now. Please, Gilbert- please wait until we send for you."

With the nightmarish feeling beginning to overwhelm him, he turned to walk to the kitchen door. He heard it close behind him, and the sound of Marilla weeping. He stepped over the forgotten picnic basket, and as he turned at the gate, he saw someone pull the curtains shut at her bedroom window. He clutched at the rail as he saw it, as a harsh cry left his lips. The thing he had dreaded above all else had occurred.

He was cut off from her.

* * *

*From Anne's House of Dreams


	32. Chapter 32, Two Weeks

**Chapter 32**

Gilbert would never fully be able to recall the fortnight that followed.

He never saw her. Morning and night he would walk to Green Gables, and would be told the same thing. He waylaid the doctor every day, who took pity on the young man. Dr Telmann, the man who had taken over Dr Spencer's practice explained the case in as much detail as he could justify, cautioning him against false hope. He was pragmatic- but there was always a chance. To Gilbert, every word struck a knife into his soul. Hearing of her, but not being able to see her. Lying awake for hours every night, wondering if she was awake- praying she was alright. Curious visitors coming to the Blythe farm to ask questions that he could not answer, not daring to go to Green Gables themselves. The worst of these was a heavily pregnant and nearly hysterical Diana, shadowed by a worried Fred. He could only tell them what he had been told- and there was no comfort that he could offer her. Nothing had been able to comfort him.

Each evening he would leave the door of Green Gables, flinching at the sound of it closing at Mrs Lynde's hand. She was as kind as she knew how to be. Yes, Anne was a very sick girl, but she had seen worse cases than this. No, the doctor didn't think that his presence would help, and Marilla was far too busy to be disturbed. He must have patience, to give her a chance to recover. They would call him when she was well enough to see him.

When fourteen days had come and gone, Gilbert turned from the gate yet again blindly. Low lights flickered in her window, and from time to time he would see the angular figure of Marilla cross in relief against the curtains. As he stood and watched, his bleak thoughts tortured him. Was she alright? Did she know why he wasn't there- did she think he had refused to come?

His feet dragged as turned to walk home, crossing the pathways they had once shared so gladly. At the crossroads between their houses, he dropped to the grassy mound, exhausted. New trees had sprung up from those destroyed in the hurricane, the baby branches barely three feet off the ground. All around him was her presence- the night wind that whispered and cried in the pines, the distant sound of the breakers on the shore, and the fragrance of the red earth after the sun went down. Here she had kissed him. Here had felt her tears on his skin, held close to him the heart that he felt breaking within her slender body.

He opened eyes that hurt as he watched the stars move slowly. Two weeks since he had seen her- two weeks since he had been able to tell her how much he loved her. His insides clenched, remembering her insistence over the last year that he remembered the _two weeks._ The way she would toss her red head, and teasingly remind him that it wasn't enough to count the fourteen months that they were apart. Now he understood just how terribly two weeks could burn.

The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching, and Gilbert flinched, not wanting to see anyone. He lifted his head to see who it was- and then clambered up, bewildered. He took a sharp breath in. " _Davy_?"

Gilbert left the shelter of the trees, seeing the boy was too stunned to move. Gilbert's eyes flicked to the dirty shirt, and the lack of shoes on his feet. Davy seemed too stunned to respond, and could only look at him.

"Davy, you should be at home right now." he managed to say. "Does Marilla know where you are?"

The boy only shrugged, his face hardening. "Probably not." he muttered.

Gilbert's face was taut, remembering the little boy's devotion to Anne. "You've got to get home so they don't worry, Davy. I'll walk you back."

"What's the point?"

He stopped, warily. "What do you mean?"

There was a scornful look on Davy's face, as he viewed the man he had grown up idolising. "It's easy for you, you don't have to hear her." he spat.

Gilbert's muscles tightened, and his voice was harsher than he meant it to be. "What do you mean?"

"You're not there. She's asking for you, and _you're not there_. You don't have to hear her cry." he said bitterly, and recoiled when Gilbert let out a sharp exclamation.

"They won't let me!" he shouted, his hazel eyes burning with fury. "They won't let me near her. You think I would be away from her if I had a choice?"

Davy's face crumpled, and with a shock Gilbert looked at him, seeing the child that he still was. He remembered that Anne was the one who had always shown him affection, who had made him feel safe after the death of his mother. Gilbert let out a deep breath, and turned back to the boy, his voice softer. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Davy. It's not your fault." He pulled him close, giving him an awkward hug, that Davy warily accepted. He released him then, turning to wipe his own face on his sleeve. His breath came unevenly, grief overwhelming him. "She's been _crying_?"

Davy looked up at the tall man and nodded, flinching when he saw a tear run down his cheek. "All night long." Davy mumbled. "Dora was sent to the Barry's, but they didn't do anything with me. She doesn't sleep. None of us can. They tell me to leave the house in the morning and to be home by nightfall."

"Marilla would _not_ tell you that." Gilbert said, his face set like stone.

"I never see Marilla." Davy said dully. "She's with Anne. It's Mrs Lynde you have to worry about."

Gilbert raised shaking hands to rub his face. Davy was so young- scarcely older than he was when his father had been so ill. "I'm taking you back home. And I'm going to keep coming every day. They have to let me in some time. And I'll check on you when I do, alright?"

Davy nodded, and brushed impatiently at the wetness of his eyes.

When Gilbert left him at the kitchen door, Mrs Lynde ushered him in with a stiff nod, pointing him to a plate of food. He could hear no sound coming from the rooms above, and when he turned from the gate, all was still. Reluctantly he turned towards home, wondering drearily if the thick fog of pain they were living in would ever end.

* * *

The summer afternoon was lengthening the next day, as John Blythe came out onto the veranda. He watched his son sitting on the stone steps, staring sightlessly into the old orchard. A shard of pain hit him, watching the way misery sat heavily on hunched shoulders.

John sat beside him, watching Gilbert pull into himself a little further.

"Did you see her?"

He shook his head. "She still won't let me in." he said dully. "She said Anne wouldn't want me there, that all she needed was rest."

She's said more than that. Rachel had barred the door with her sizable bulk, looking at the young man sternly. He had tried to get a glimpse of Marilla, however, it seemed that what Davy had said was true- he never managed to see her.

"Mrs Lynde, please." he begged. "It's been two weeks. You have to let me see my girl."

Her face showed some compassion, however that only strengthened her resolve. If it was Providence's will that the boy was going to lose her; it was better to stay away, that he remember her the way she had been. "No. We will send for you when she recovers. Until then, you need to stay away, for both of your sakes."

Gilbert had bitten his cheek to stop himself from responding, and with a tight face surrendered. He handed her the posy of flowers that he carried. "Please just put them where she can see them." he said brokenly. Rachel stopped, her face heavy. She attempted to pat his stiff shoulder. "The doctor is doing everything he can. However, you need to understand that we can't change what is meant to happen."

Gilbert turned to leave, when he heard a door open and a moan that made his hair stand up on end float down the stairs. He turned to Rachel again petrified, whose face had hardened. The door upstairs closed again, and he looked back at her, his eyes horrified.

"That's not her-" he said, his eyes stricken.

Rachel shook her head. "You need to leave now, Gilbert."

"How can you expect me to leave when she's like _that_?" he said wildly.

"I expect you to behave _appropriately_ , Mr Blythe." she said angrily. "She isn't your wife yet. And she may never be so, if you don't let her get some rest."

Gilbert's jaw trembled, but he met her eyes unflinchingly. "This is _wrong_ , Mrs Lynde. You know that it is, and you know she needs me there. I _will_ see Marilla some time, and you will not be able to keep me away from Anne indefinitely."

Mrs Lynde's face looked old. "Perhaps so. But I'm afraid you don't really have a choice right now."

The door was shut in his face, and he heard the scrape of the heavy lock being turned. A frozen Gilbert was left standing on the steps. He knew he had few options- anything he could do to get in by force could hurt Anne- and he wouldn't take that chance.

He sat now on the steps of his home, running shaking hands through his hair. The torturous thoughts that never left him came spilling out of his mouth now. "It's all my fault, Dad." he said brokenly. "She shouldn't have gone there- she didn't want me to go tutoring when I was sick. It should have been _me_." John's face stilled for a moment, and he put a slightly shaking hand on Gilbert's shoulder, who continued to talk miserably. "I didn't know there had been typhoid in the area- I could have warned her not to drink anything. But I didn't know until it was too late. And I tried to watch over her afterwards- I was trying to keep it from happening, to keep her from getting sick- " He broke down then, and his father held him close in a wordless sympathy.

Cora Blythe, coming home from a visit to a neighbour turned in through her front gate and stopped, her heart clenching at the sight of John holding Gilbert. She'd held her tongue- she's encouraged him to be patient. She'd told him to respect the ladies who cared for her, saying that Anne herself would ask him to do that. She'd not told him what she feared, hadn't wanted to interfere. But now things had gone too far. She dropped her basket on the steps of the house, her irritation obvious.

"How was Linda?" Mr Blythe asked, of the lady she had been visiting.

Cora's jaw tightened. "Dr Telmann was there." Gilbert's head flew up, his eyes anguished. "He's told them to hire a nurse for Anne. But they won't do it." She got to her feet, pacing angrily across the lawn. "Anne needs someone around the clock. Her fever is too high, and physically she needs more care than they can give her." She let out an exclamation. "I've seen it before; families think they don't need assistance, however they are too close, they can't do what a nurse needs to do. They don't know what they're looking for- and it could be the difference between life or death-" Seeing the look of terror on Gilbert's face, she gritted her teeth and swung around. She walked quickly up the steps, and to the front door of the house.

"Gilbert, get your coat." she said, her face set like flint.

Gilbert and John both rose, following her inside and to the hall cupboard. "Cora, they said they don't want-" John protested.

She turned to her husband. "What would you or I do? she asked, her voice hard. "What would _she_ do?"

Gilbert dashed a hand across his eyes. A bitter chuckle came from his throat. "She'd knock the door down to get to me." he muttered.

Cora pulled out the little bag Gilbert had not seen for many years. "Then I suggest that you do the same. I'd pack some clothes if I were you."

John moved then. "I'll get the buggy."

Cora turned to her son, her face grave. "Gilbert, I need you to understand. You know what typhoid is. It's not going to be pretty. She won't look the same. And she may not even know you're there if it is as serious as I think it is."

Gilbert's jaw set. "I don't care."

Cora gave a short nod. "Then we had better get going."

* * *

Mrs Lynde met them at the door, her manner stiff.

"Why, Cora, I didn't expect to see you."

"I know." she said gently. "Rachel, you need to let Gilbert see her now."

"But the infection!" Rachel protested.

"He's not in any danger. Gilbert, just go." his mother directed. "Just knock so as not to startle Marilla."

Gilbert didn't wait any longer. He walked past a speechless Mrs Lynde to the stairs, pausing for an infinitesimal moment when he heard a slight moan, and breaking into a run.

Marilla was coming out of her bedroom with a bowl of water, her face haggard. She hardly seemed to register any surprise at the sight of the young man, but put up a hand to detain him.

"Gilbert, please don't go in- you won't want to see her like this-"

He darted into the room past her hand, his eyes drawn to Anne's tiny figure on the bed. He was at her side in a moment, taking the clenched hand on the freshly changed sheets. He knelt by the side of the bed, looking in shock at the weight she had lost, in a mere fortnight. She was curled up now in a little ball, her red hair tangled and lustreless, her eyes shut, and brow contorted in pain.

"How could you not tell me it was this bad?" he whispered, hearing Marilla's step behind him.

"I kept hoping she would take a turn for the better." she said, her voice quivering. She stayed there for a moment, watching in shock. Gilbert stroked the hair back from her waxen face, his own tears starting. He was too intent on Anne to hear what Marilla did. Marilla sank down onto the armchair beside her bed.

"She's gone quiet." she said in shock, her voice trembling, a few minutes later. "She's not been silent in over a week!" It was at this moment that a dam inside her seemed to break, and Gilbert looked up to see her sitting down, rocking backwards and forwards in a passion of grief. He shook his head slightly, and turned back to Anne. With a tremor he ran his hand along her arms, as spindly and breakable as the girl he had first seen in their classroom. The seven tiny freckles on her nose stood out against the whiteness of her face, and he swallowed convulsively, suddenly understanding what this terrible disease was able to do.

Reaching up shaky fingers, he tenderly stroked her hot, dry forehead, whispering his love for her. Anne was still moving under the covers slightly, however the heart-wrenching moans that had given Marilla nightmares had stopped. She looked at Gilbert, startled. Could Anne tell that he was there? She hadn't even woken during the last visit from the doctor, who had needed to give his instructions to her over the heartbreaking cries she uttered even in her sleep.

He was murmuring to her, kissing the too-warm forehead, his arm surrounding her slight frame.

Somehow, Marilla found her voice again. "Gilbert, the doctor will be here anytime now, you mustn't be here. You can come and see her tomorrow."

There was a look on his face as he stood to his feet, and looked at Marilla with an expression that she knew only too well.

"I won't leave her." he said quietly.

She looked at him in terror. "You can't stay. Think of the scandal- think of your own reputation." she pleaded.

Gilbert's jaw clenched. "I don't care. I will _not_ be leaving her side."

It was at this point that a small sound came from Anne, and his ferocity disappeared as soon as it came, as he knelt down at her side again, touching her face tenderly. He took the damp cloth that had slipped from her forehead, wiping it tenderly across her hot face. It was to this sight that Cora Blythe stepped into the doorway of Anne's room, with a defeated Rachel in the background.

Cora's voice was gentle but firm. "Marilla, I would like to talk with you and Rachel, if I may. Gilbert will keep watch over her, he will call us if anything changes."

Rachel let out a sound of protest. "Cora, this is _not_ appropriate-"

Cora's lip trembled, and she looked at the huddled figure on the bed. "Rachel, there isn't anything that can happen. I promise you that she is safe with my son."

* * *

Downstairs Cora sat at the kitchen table with Marilla, and Rachel poured the tea into waiting mugs stiffly.

"Marilla, I understand that Doctor Telmann suggested that you get a nurse." she said quietly.

Marilla shrugged dully. "It seemed foolish to do so when there were two of us."

Cora reached a hand across the table. "I understand. But a long illness wears on a family more than you realise. Where are Davy and Dora right now?" she asked gently.

A spasm seemed to cross Marilla's face. "The- the Barry's have taken Dora. Davy has been here for meals- I don't know where he goes." she muttered.

"I see." Cora took a deep breath. "Marilla, Anne needs to have a nurse day and night now. Would you use me?"

Rachel sat up in indignation, and looked to a stunned Marilla. "Cora, what exactly do you think that you can do, that Marilla and I are not able to?" she said bitterly, and Cora looked at her steadily.

"I'm a trained nurse, Rachel. Or rather, I was before Gilbert was born." She looked to Marilla then. "I was Dr David Blythe's nurse before I married John. I've dealt with typhoid many a time."

Marilla's eyes couldn't hide her hurt at the suggestion.

Seeing exactly the reaction she feared, Cora sighed. "You've cared for her wonderfully, Marilla. But you need professional help now. It may make all the difference to Anne. You need to be able to be strong for the family, and to do that you need _sleep_. I know what a severe illness does to a family."

Marilla looked to Rachel, who had crossed her arms, her stern chin trembling. "It isn't your place to do this." she said to Cora angrily.

Cora's eyes filled, but she held her gaze evenly. "Rachel, she isn't your Megan."

At this, a short cry came from Rachel and she stood to her feet.

Cora continued. "I know how this must be hurting you. I do. Anne is older than Meg was, she has a better chance of survival. And we need to give Anne the best chance she has. The two of you are exhausted, and you need assistance. I am qualified to do so. I am begging you to let me help." she said softly.

Rachel sat down, her hands trembling. Marilla was speechless still, and after a long look at her, she spoke. "What do you suggest?"

Cora sighed in relief. "Firstly I wondered if you would allow Davy to go and stay with John. It's better for you to not have to worry about him right now; John will keep him busy and take care of him. I can take him back with me now."

Marilla looked at Cora, bewildered. "But what about their meals?"

Cora gave a faint smile. "John is well able to handle them, he and Gilbert became quite self-sufficient in Alberta. I can check on them from time to time, if I go home for a short break." She looked at Marilla, her face gentle. "Anne needs someone here now, and I would be grateful to be able to do something for her." She paused, and her voice shook. "I've had to watch my son lose her once before." she whispered. "I can't see it happen again."

Marilla's jaw set, and she looked Cora with a little nod. "You can stay in the room across from Anne's."

"Thank you. I have a bag with me, however, there are a few items that may be useful that I will need from home. If Davy can gather some things, we can go as soon as possible."

* * *

Cora was taken upstairs by an exhausted Marilla, and the two of them stood in the doorway of her room, watching Gilbert. He sat before her in her low white bed, his arm was curled around her head, and he was smoothing her red hair with a shaking hand.

"How long has it been?" Cora asked softly.

Marilla leant against the door frame. "She- she first came down with it nearly two weeks ago." she said, her voice tired. "The fever has been high, and she's been so restless." Her face crumpled. "The doctor thinks it's putting further stress on her body, but we can't calm her." she said unsteadily. "She's been talking in her sleep- and crying- and I seem to hear that little voice constantly-"

Cora touched her shoulder gently. "She's resting now."

Marilla straightened up and looked at Cora's kind face, her worry making her sharp. "And what happens when he goes home?"

Cora looked at the pair, and swallowed. "Marilla, I don't think that he should."

Marilla went pale. "What do you mean?"

"I think- until she stabilises, that he should stay nearby. I think it may help Anne. You can see what it's done already." Her voice was suddenly constricted. "And I don't really think you will get him to leave."

Marilla sighed and gave a short nod. "Very well. He can take Davy's room. I'll get you both some fresh sheets."

Cora nodded. "I'll return home now to get the things I need, and I'll be back within the hour. I would ask that you let Gilbert stay with her while I'm gone."

Marilla straightened her dishevelled apron, with a shaking hand. "I really don't know what the doctor will say." she said dully. "But if it helps her, I won't object."

Cora placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "He will understand, I promise you that."

Marilla turned to Gilbert's mother, her eyes sunken with grief. "I thought it was the right thing to do to keep him away. I didn't want him sick too."

Cora gave her a sad smile. "Knowing this pair, there isn't much we could do in any case. But he's not in any danger."

Gilbert heard the footsteps walk away, and dropped his head to the mattress in relief. He then carefully rinsed the cloth in the bowl beside her bed, his brow creasing in grief at the heat emanating from her frail body. She flinched from the cold of the water, her eyes resolutely closed, and he knelt down beside her with a steadying hand on hers, pressing his lips to her hot forehead.

"I don't know if you can hear this, sweetheart, but I need you to work with me here." Gilbert said to her softly, his eyes steadily on her face. "I'm here now, and I need you to summon every bit of stubbornness you have to fight this. Because I'm _not_ letting you go."


	33. Chapter 33, By Her Side

**Chapter 33**

It was nearing ten o clock that night when Marilla stood in the doorway nervously, watching Cora, who was settling Anne for the night.

"She's often more restless at night." she said, her voice constricted.

Cora looked up at Marilla kindly. "I imagine so. The fever usually peaks in the afternoon, and when nightfall comes on top of the confusion, it's a lot to deal with- especially with someone as sensitive as Anne."

"She is that."

Marilla came into the room that had become her world, smoothing a shaking hand over Anne's hair. "I suppose we'll have to look at cutting this, soon."

Cora rose up from the side of the bed, where she had been tucking the light blanket in. The two women watched her hand weakly fluttering above the covers, and Marilla took it in her own. "I don't know what I will do- if-" her voice faltered then, and Cora put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"She will come through this." she said softly. "Marilla, how long has it been since you have slept?"

Anne pulled her hand from Marilla's then with a little pucker on her forehead, murmuring something that neither woman could understand. Marilla clasped her hands together then, her posture tense. "I've had a few hours here and there." she said, her voice wooden. "Rachel came and sat with her for a few hours each morning so that I could take a nap."

"Well, perhaps you can both get some rest, now."

Marilla stepped away. "Thank you." She turned back to the Cora with an effort. "And- and thank you for taking Davy home. I-I was concerned about him, but we didn't know how-"

Cora gave her a little smile. "It's no trouble. We've always had a soft spot for him. John will handle him nicely- he's so much like Gilbert was at that age."

Marilla gave her a genuine smile at that. "That should give me some hope for Davy, then." She bid Cora a good night, and after a last look at the slight figure under the covers, she left the room.

Cora walked to the window, opening the sash to allow more air in.

"I like that."

She turned towards Anne's voice, startled. "You like the window open, darling?"

"It makes the curtains dance." She let out a little sigh, that turned into a cough that shook her frail body. Cora moved to her swiftly, supporting her back.

"Come now, sweetie, we're just going to get a little more water into you, alright?"

"Alright." the tired voice said. "Is Gilbert here?"

Cora smiled. She had been afraid that Anne would not remember anything of the afternoon. "Anne, I sent him to get changed for bed, and he's being most stubborn about leaving you. He's in Davy's room."

She looked up to see Gilbert's shadow in the doorway, a small smile on his face at the sound of her voice.

"It's a very small bed." Anne mumbled.

Cora gave Gilbert a wink. "I think he will manage, dear."

"He teased my hair," was the next astounding comment.

Gilbert came into the room, and knelt down by her bed, smoothing his hand over her face, a tender smile on his own. "Hey, you said you forgave me for that, Carrots, remember?"

Anne gave a little sigh, relaxing at his touch. "Oh. Alright then."

He chuckled, and gave his mother a quick look. "Can I stay in here for a while? Just until she sleeps?"

Cora nodded. "I need to go and prepare some things for the night. I'll be back up here in an hour or so."

Gilbert sat on the floor beside her bed, and leant against the mattress. He studied her face, his heart constricting. Now that the shock was over, he could see her beloved features again. She had been through so much. The rage that had barely left him at the way he had been sent away came back in a wave, and it was with an effort that he pushed it down again. She had _needed_ him. And they had heard her cries and ignored them. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He was here now, he had to focus on that. He took her hand in his, and his heart sank when she pulled it back with a wince. Did she not want him touching her?

"It hurts." she breathed, with a little groan.

Gilbert jumped slightly. "Anne? Your hands are hurting you?"

"Some- sometimes."

He saw her closed eyelids flutter, his heart pounding. "It's alright, sweetheart. I just want you to know that I'm here."

His eyes filled with tears when he saw her hand move towards his, and he brought his own close so that she could feel it. Her fingers brushed his, and a small sigh left her mouth. He watched her face relax, and he rested his head against her blanket.

When Cora came up some time later to find them thus, she let out a long breath as she stood in the doorway. The illness was heading into the third week now. This was the most dangerous time- if complications were going to occur, it would be now. She had to stamp down her frustration that no-one had been called before now. She had known what they would find- but as she looked at the girl on the bed, Cora saw the weight of the task upon them all. She turned from her son to go to the room that Marilla had prepared for her, wiping away a tear from her cheek.

* * *

Nearly two days had passed since Gilbert and his mother arrived at Green Gables. His mother had taken over much of the practical care of Anne, bringing a relief that Marilla would not yet admit. She directed her attention back to the household chores, working late into the night to have fresh sheets and towels available for Anne as needed. There was an odd mixture of relief and pain seeing Cora Blythe with her, but jealousy was something Marilla would not indulge in. Anne needed her, and Cora was nothing but professional in her care. The doctor came daily, leaving his instructions with the nurse, who followed them with due attention.

He had grown accustomed to the sight of the pale-faced young man by her side when he came to call. As Dr Telmann spoke to his mother about her care, he took the time to include Gilbert in the conversation. He had been interested in the young student when he had cared for John Blythe after the accident, and was gratified to hear about him winning the Cooper prize from his old college. Truthfully, it was like watching a younger version of himself- although a much more dedicated one, he thought dryly.

"What are you reading?" he asked when Anne was again being tucked under the covers by Cora's steady hand. He nodded at the nurse when she took a pitcher from the room and turned back to Gilbert, who was in the armchair that had been brought in. Gilbert held up the spine of the large book he had been flipping through- the _Clinical Care of Infectious Diseases._ He raised his eyebrow and nodded.

"I thought you would start with Anatomy."

Gilbert brought that one out from the pile beside the chair, with a wry grin.

"I'm impressed." the doctor commented. "This will put you leagues ahead of your classmates."

A spasm seemed to hit Gilbert's face. He shook his head. "Just trying to see if there's anything I could be doing to help." he said tiredly.

Dr Telmann grunted. "You treat the symptoms. And then you pray that their body puts up a fight alongside you." He moved the little medicine phials to a tray on the side of the bureau and pulled out a notebook and pencil to write notes in. He looked up at Gilbert's voice.

"What are the chances really like?" Gilbert asked quietly.

The doctor shot him a sharp look. "Do you honestly want to know?" There was a long pause, as he looked at the intense eyes boring into his own, and he sighed. "There's always a chance. But you have to prepare yourself for the possibility that she might not make it." The book fell to the floor from suddenly limp fingers. "I'm sorry, Gilbert. But I don't believe in sugar-coating the truth." he stated. "You will learn when you're on my side of the bed, that false hope is a cruel thing."

A slight spark came into Gilbert's eyes. "Maybe so, but don't you have to give the patient some hope? Don't you have to give them something to fight for?"

Dr Telmann crossed his arms. "You do. But she didn't ask me. You did."

Gilbert looked at Anne's drawn, white face on the pillow. He closed his eyes, defeated. "I know."

The doctor put the stethoscope back in his bag, ignoring the flinch Gilbert gave as he looked at it. "Well, come on then." He held the young man's eyes evenly. "I have to buy the latest books to keep up with the advances in medicine. You can't afford to assume that you know everything, especially now. Find me everything you've got, and we'll see what we can come up with. It'll be good practice for your clinical studies."

Gilbert swallowed, his eyes burning. "I- I don't think I'm going back to school." he said slowly. "If she comes through this, I don't think I can leave her."

Dr Telmann's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Alright." he said, his voice deceptively light. "But let's assume there's something in those books that I missed. I want you to find it."

Gilbert gave a sardonic laugh. "It might take awhile. The head of the medical faculty loaned me a stack of papers to look at."

Anne shifted then, a little moan coming from her throat. The doctor surprised Gilbert by placing his hand on her forehead gently, shushing her like a child. "What papers?" he asked.

Gilbert's head fell into his hands, guiltily. "As soon as I knew there was a possibility, I got every piece of information I could lay my hands on. Not that it's helped."

Dr Telmann gave him a curious look. "You never know. I'll look at anything you come up with."

Gilbert stood then, putting his hands in his pockets and turning to gaze out the window sightlessly. "You don't have to humour me." he said bluntly.

"I'm not. But this is my tenth case of typhoid this year." The doctor said, his voice brittle. "I'd rather not lose any more people to it if I can help it." After a moment Gilbert nodded, and the doctor paused as he picked up the bag to leave the room. "It's probably not my place to say this," he said, after a moment. "But don't write off your future because of what's happening now. And from the rumours I've heard tell about Anne Shirley, she's going to be the first person to come after you with a stick if you do."

Gilbert watched him go, and then bent over the bed, his hand cradling Anne's cheek. Her breath was too fast and too shallow, and the heat from her face burned in his hand. He knelt down beside her, watching the way her shrunken chest lifted with every breath, his eyes stricken.

"You hear that; sweetheart?" he said, his voice tight. "I'm counting on you to come after me with that stick." He bent down to kiss her cheek, smoothing back the untidy hair from her face.

* * *

"Come now, Anne, I need you to keep your head up." Cora amused voice said, in the late afternoon. "We're nearly done here."

There was the sound of water splashing and things being arranged on the little table, and an impatient Gilbert could then be heard pacing up and down in front of the screen.

"Can I come back there yet?"

Cora sighed with exasperation. "For goodness sakes, Gilbert; I asked you to give me just fifteen minutes for us to to get her bathed, and her hair washed. Be a dear, make yourself useful and bring me a fresh pitcher of water. Her cup is empty." She heard him leave the room grumbling, and turned her attention to the girl lying against the clean pillows and sheets that Marilla had brought in, a fresh nightgown now in place.

"Anne, dearie, I think you will have an interesting time of it when you marry my son," she said drolly. The girl only muttered, her damp hair lying on the pillow beside her.

Cora sighed, wiping her brow with her long apron. The tasks seemed to get harder by the day, now. More and more time was spent trying to keep her cool, and the restlessness had abated only to give way to a worrying lethargy. Little sentences would pass her white lips, a mixture of vague mumblings and occasionally tears, and more coherent statements that would catch her companions by surprise. Marilla had spoken of the tears she had cried before he came, something that made Gilbert's heart clench. She had been through more pain than most people did in a lifetime- something she rarely talked about. It could have been anything from her past that she was reliving- or it could have been from him. When she would do so now, he would only stroke her hair, and whisper of his love. It happened most often at night time- he stationed himself by her bed in the chair, much to Mrs Lynde's horror, refusing to budge unless Marilla or his mother asked him to.

As Cora worked around Anne, he had asked his mother about the delirium.

"Typhoid is sometimes called 'nervous' fever, dear.'' Mrs Blythe commented, as she attempted to brush her hair into some semblance of order, wincing when she struck a particularly bad knot. "Patients see things that aren't there, and live in a world we can't see."

A chuckle broke from his lips at that, causing his mother to look up indignantly. "Gilbert, I hardly think-"

"No, it's not that." he protested, half-heartedly. "She- she's just _often_ in a world that we can't see."

Cora's face moved into a reluctant smile. "I suppose so."

When she had placed the soiled sheets and clothing in the basket Marilla had ready, she moved to wash her hands in the basin. Gilbert took his place beside Anne, picking up the hairbrush.

"Work from the ends, dear, just like I showed you."

Gilbert worked away for a time at the mass of damp, red hair, and frowned. "I can't believe she was going to cut this," he muttered, and Cora sighed. That had been a battle on its own, and she was hard pressed to make Gilbert reasonable. Marilla had thought that it most likely added to her discomfort, and that its care was beyond her. Cora tactfully suggested that she be given a few days to see if they could bring it under control, and over her son's glowering eyes, she agreed that if it proved too much, they would cut it. He had insisted on being shown how to brush it himself and sat readying her hair for his mother to braid.

Marilla came in with fresh towels then, hanging them over the wash basin rails as Cora excused herself. She turned to watch Gilbert, her eyes moistening at the job he was doing.

"It's looking better now." she said.

Gilbert bit back the retort on the end of his tongue, and simply nodded.

Marilla sat down on another chair that had been brought in, looking at her girl tenderly.

"Matthew and I had to cut her hair once before." she said suddenly.

Gilbert looked up, surprised. "I remember her once having short hair, but I didn't know what happened." There was a short pause then. "I never asked her." he added slowly.

Marilla gave a short laugh. "She dyed it."

Gilbert's eyes flew up at that. " _Dyed_ it?"

"Green. It was meant to be black."

He couldn't suppress a chuckle at that. "I can't believe she never told me about it."

Marilla gave a little sigh. "Her first memory of you was you tormenting her about her hair. She wouldn't have talked to you about that."

"I mean after we became friends." There was an uncomfortable silence then, and he looked across at her adoptive mother with a pang. "I know how much I hurt her then. I guess- you both had to forgive me for that."

Marilla studied him, thoughtfully. "Was that what you thought? That we hadn't?"

He shrugged, not sure where to go with the conversation he had begun.

When Anne moved slightly on the pillow, Marilla took her hand, who flinched even in her sleep. Gilbert gave her a quick look.

"She said that her hands hurt her, sometimes. I'm not sure why." Marilla's look was one of pain, but Gilbert shook his head. "She pulled away from me too. I didn't realise why at first."

There was a pregnant pause, before Marilla spoke again stiffly. "Gilbert, I should never have sent you away."

Gilbert's jaw clenched, but he looked up at the woman who would be his mother-in-law, one day. "No. You shouldn't have."

"I- I thought you would be in danger." She shook her head then, her voice tight. "Your father would never forgive me for putting you in harm's way."

A wry laugh left his throat. "Marilla, until two weeks ago, I spent almost every day with Anne, sometimes from dawn till dusk. I barely left her side. If proximity was all that was required, I was a marked man long ago."

She used her apron to wipe up the tear that fell. "I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing," she said, her face taut. "If it's harmed her to have you away I don't know if I can live with myself-"

Gilbert shook his head, his eyes on Anne. "it doesn't matter. I'm here now." He sighed then, his head drooping. "And I couldn't keep her safe when we were together."

She rose from her seat, with a sigh, smoothing the covers of the bed. "I don't think that's a burden you can lay on anyone, Gilbert." She placed a hand on his shoulder, and was gone.

* * *

Eventually, the inhabitants of Green Gables formed an unspoken agreement on how the work would be done. Chores were cared for with little fuss, and knowing the importance of rest, Cora suggested that everyone take time away from the sickroom. At times Cora nearly pulled her hair out about the stubbornness of her son, who for four straight days had barely left her room. Cora, who knew quite well that the hardest time was yet to come began to urge him to leave the house for short periods of time. A walk to the store, or one to check on his father and Davy- who, he was relieved, was doing much better away from the house, and now that someone was keeping a close eye on him. Gilbert chuckled, watching his father train Davy to fork hay, remembering the way he himself had been taught.

Late one afternoon Gilbert was returning from the farm, armed with another series of papers to check. He had been made to promise that he would not reappear at the house until tea time, as Marilla and Cora wished to give Anne a bath. His objections that he had been in the house and at times in her _room_ when she had been bathed before were met with the same look from both mothers, and he was banished without ceremony. Gilbert closed the door behind him with a disgruntled look, and walked into town to collect the mail for the families.

Before he could go into the post office, however, he heard quick footsteps behind him. As little as he wanted to see anyone, Gilbert turned courteously- until Josie's face appeared. When she called his name he greeted her coldly.

"Gilbert, I wanted to ask you-" she said, her pinched face hesitant.

"Wanted to ask me what?" he said bluntly.

Josie was startled at his manner but lifted her chin. "I wanted to ask how Anne was."

"Why?"

"I- I wanted to see how she was doing."

"Again, I'll ask you _why_." he said, suddenly furious. "Was it to say how unwell she looks when she wears green? Or to remind her that she's freckled, or make her feel worse about herself? Was there anything else you needed to mention?" he said hotly, and Josie took a step back, before standing her ground.

"Gilbert, I just want to know if she's alright." she snapped, and he was shocked to see the angry tears in her eyes. He stopped, uncertain.

"But- you- you give her such a hard time-" he said suspiciously. "You always did."

Josie lifted her head. "I know that."

"Then why- _why_?"

"Because." she replied defiantly, her chin trembling. "We've already lost Ruby."

Gilbert closed his eyes. He took a deep breath in, trying to regain his balance after that blow. "I know." He wiped a shaking hand across his face, his eyes on the pavement below them. "Anne's fever is too high, and she's lost a lot of weight." he recited dully, trying to ignore Josie's flinch. "She's- not doing well. If we can get the temperature to come down, then we have a chance."

Josie swallowed, her arms folded tightly, her parasol clenched in her hand. "I hope she gets better soon. I- I heard your mother is nursing her."

His eyes came up, holding hers, daring her to comment on that.

"She helped us look after Gertie when she was young." Josie said jerkily. "She was thrown from a horse when she was five." She stepped away. "I'll let you go now."

Gilbert nodded. "Josie- thank you." She nodded at him, and was gone.

At the post office there was a pile of letters for both households. Letters from the girls to Anne that no one had been able to collect yet, and what he knew to be responses to the letters sent after she became ill. He bundled them all up in his satchel, and began the walk to Green Gables. The woods were full of sweet warmth, and he looked longingly into their shade, thinking of the summer they had planned. He gave the ghost of a laugh. This was _not_ quite what he had in mind in his wild fantasies. He could never have imagined sharing a house with her though- let alone sleeping by her bed most nights. When Mrs Lynde wasn't prowling the house, anyway.

* * *

When he entered the kitchen, Mrs Lynde met him with a cursory glance, and a hot cup of tea. He handed her her mail and asked how Anne was, and was told that she had fallen asleep after her bath, and had been left alone to rest for a time. Gilbert went upstairs to check, and found her still asleep, her hair neatly combed and braided. Satisfied that she was stable, he walked downstairs to sit at the table, as Rachel placed a slice of cake in front of him without a word. She had accepted his presence in the house with an attempt at good grace, however it was clear that it was under protest. Gilbert was still too angry at her for him to let it go completely, however out respect to Marilla- and his mother's insistent threats- he was attempting to remain cordial. He wasn't aware of the fact that Rachel was honestly trying to mend fences. Having long expected those around her to simply know when she had rethought her position without the necessity or mess of an apology, she assumed that Gilbert had no need for one either.

That night, after Cora had replaced the washcloths they were using to keep Anne cool, she told Gilbert that she was going to rest in her room. The long days and nights had taken their toll on everyone, and she was sensible of the fact that she needed sleep as well. Gilbert saw her go with a kiss on her cheek, and settled down in the chair beside Anne. There was a low candle burning on the dresser, and Gilbert pulled out the letters to peruse. Stella and Priscilla's were all concern and love, however he was steeling himself for Phil's- which took the tone he had expected.

 _Gilbert Blythe, why didn't you tell me? It all makes sense now, your behaviour, and the way you would watch her when you thought no one was looking. Gil, we would have understood, we would have helped you! Did you think you had to do this alone? A doctor could have seen her in Kingsport, maybe we could have prevented her from being so worn out- I am glad you at least had the sense to tell Jo. I don't pretend to know what you have lived through for the last month, and when I next see you, the two of you can expect a bawling out from me- and most likely some hysterical bawling from me as well. It breaks my heart to think of her in pain, and I pray that you will be able to be by her side soon. She needs you so desperately. We love you both, and I love you for how hard you tried to protect your girl. But you shouldn't have done it alone._

Jo had added his own note underneath, written when his wife had exhausted her rhetoric, assuring him that they were praying. He told Gilbert to keep them updated on the news, and that he would write again soon.

Gilbert dropped the letter with a sad smile. Phil _would_ bawl him out, too. And he would take it.

He leant back in his chair tiredly, reaching his hand out to touch Anne. Was it really only three weeks since they had danced together at Phil's wedding? The chair he was in had crept closer to her bed, and now he rested his head near her own. In her bedroom was only the sound of her breathing and the wind in the nearby trees, and he found his eyes closing under the bone weariness that he felt.

Some time later when he awoke, he stirred uncomfortably with a groan, reaching up a hand to rub his neck. It was then that he saw what had woken him- Anne's covers had been pushed off, and she was moving slightly on the bed, her brow contorted with pain. He stretched a long arm across to pull the covers back over her, soothing her gently. As he stood over her, adjusting her pillows, she awoke with a start- and for the first time in weeks, he saw her startled grey eyes looking at him. His heart began to beat faster as he stared, knowing that she was actually seeing him.

"Sweetheart?" he said, breathlessly.

"Gil? You're here?" she murmured, her eyes filling with tears.

His own tears falling now, he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm here, darling girl." Gilbert pressed his forehead to her own, his arms coming around her limp form. He felt her face turn into his shoulder with a little shudder. He knew that this moment might not last, and so pulled back to look into her anxious eyes. "Do you know what's happening?" he asked, touching her cheek gently.

The little sigh was faint. "Typhoid."

"That's right."

She looked at him then, her eyes pleading. "Am I alright?"

Gilbert looked into her big grey eyes, and couldn't bring himself to lie to her. He put his arm around her as tightly as he dared, a tear falling from his cheek. "No, sweetie. You're very sick." he swallowed, trying desperately to be calm. "But you need to keep fighting. They've all given up on trying to chase me out of here, and the doctor even gets me to help him now and then." He gave a little chuckle that turned into a sob. "He says I have the makings of a good physician."

Anne's fingers tightened around his ever so slightly, and he started at the slight pressure. "I could have told him that." she murmured, her eyes slowly closing. A look of terror came over Gilbert's face, afraid that it could be days before she recognised him again.

"Anne? Sweetheart?"

Her eyes fluttered open again, and she lifted her fingers on the covers slightly. "Just- tired." she said slowly. "Gil?"

"Yes?"

"I feel revolting."

He shut his eyes in relief, a slight smile coming to his drawn features. "I know you do, sweetie." He paused, watching her fight to keep her eyes open. He bent down to kiss each eyelid closed then. "It's alright. Just go to sleep. I'll be right here."

One last time, her eyes opened. "You'll stay with me?" she whispered, and sighed when he tucked a loose curl behind one ear.

"I'll stay."


	34. Chapter 34, Building Storm

**Chapter 34**

 _'Gilbert, where did the sunlight go? It's been dark for so long-'_

 _'I didn't mean to break it, please don't tell Mr Hammond';_

 _'He's not coming back, he's never coming back-'_

 _'Is Matthew home yet?'_

 _'No, please, no -no-'_

Anne's voice rose to a shriek that had Marilla and Cora come flying from their rooms in the dead of the night, to find a white and shaking Gilbert trying to soothe her and lay her back down on the low white bed. He had not left her side for several days now- not that he knew what day it was anymore, he thought dully. Cora moved him aside to straighten Anne's nightgown and to lay the sheets over her again, talking to her calmly.

"Anne, darling, everything is alright, you just had a bad dream-"

"But he's with her, and she's touching him-" her tortured voice said. Cora looked to Gilbert in confusion, who sighed, knowing only too well what she would have been seeing.

"She's not, sweetheart, she's gone. I'm here now." His low voice caught her attention this time. For a moment she looked at him with confusion, and then let out a tiny sigh. Cora gently moved the pillows under her, and as she worked, Anne's face began to relax. Gilbert turned to the women, his face remorseful.

"I'm sorry, I can usually head it off, but I fell asleep. She was already upset-"

Cora pulled him into her arms fiercely. "It's going to happen, Gilbert. You have to sleep. It's alright." She released him to turn back to Anne, her brow worried. Gilbert dropped to the little cot that had been brought down from the attic for him by a grim-faced Rachel. She did _not_ approve, she stated, glowering. But she didn't want to see him kill himself either. Gilbert accepted the gesture thankfully- sleeping in the armchair had certainly been taking its toll on his tightly wound body.

Cora tucked the sheets around Anne with a practiced hand, gently sponging her face with the damp cloth. Anne's eyes briefly opened, and she looked up at Cora with a faint smile.

"Marilla and Matthew are going to keep me. Aren't you glad?" her weak voice said suddenly.

A gasp came from the doorway where her guardian stood, and Gilbert watched her curiously.

"I am. They love you so much. Now, go back to sleep, dear." Cora said softly.

After Anne's breathing had steadied, Marilla spoke. "Cora, why wouldn't you tell her the truth?"

"What do you mean?"

Marilla looked at her blankly. "She's speaking about it as if it was happening right now. Shouldn't she know-?"

The nurse looked at Anne with a sigh. "It is happening now, in her mind at least. Sometimes it's better to humour the patient, rather than bring them back to a reality that may upset them even more."

"Oh." Marilla came into the room, to look down at the white-faced girl. She crossed her arms tightly. "I kept doing that to her." she said unsteadily. "When she asked when Matthew was coming home from Carmody, I- I told her."

Cora placed a comforting hand on the older woman's shoulder. "It's alright. She would have forgotten again just as swiftly."

Marilla spoke jerkily, her pain evident. "I don't believe that nursing comes naturally to me-"

Cora gave her a genuine smile. "It's a fallacy that suggests that nursing belongs to womanhood. And it's far harder to do it for the ones you love." She hesitated, and then looked Marilla. "At one point we had to hire a nurse for John, before Alberta." She gave her a twisted smile. "I was told that I was being far too irrational by the doctor and that he didn't trust my judgment- despite my training."

Despite the seriousness of the circumstances, Marilla couldn't suppress a dry smile. "That probably didn't go down well."

The women turned in surprise at the snort that Gilbert suddenly gave. Mrs Blythe's eyes twinkled.

"I think what my son is _trying_ to say, is that no, I did not find it easy."

"You told the doctor he was a nincompoop."

"Gilbert!" she said crossly, making them laugh for the first time in days. They all turned to look at Anne, who was once more asleep.

He stood up then, rubbing his eyes and coming to take the cloth from her hand. "You can go back to bed now, I'm here."

"Are you sure?" Cora asked, worried. "You look so tired, Gilbert-"

"I'm fine. We're worrying about Anne," was all he said, looking at the figure on the bed.

* * *

As the days wore on, no one in the house could fail to notice that the doctor was calling more often. He listened to Anne's chest, his face grave at the telltale rattle. There were the rose coloured spots that made Mrs Blythe pass a hand across her eyes, while a frightened Marilla watched on from the door. Gilbert only watched her face, waiting for them to be done checking her so they could let her rest again. More and more he seemed to be losing her to the things that she was seeing, more and more he began to fear that he wouldn't be able to banish the dreams that were overtaking her. As terrifying as her delirious mumblings were, what was worse was the silence in the room where she lay at times, seemingly neither awake nor asleep. Occasionally a limb would twitch, or a cry would leave her that would make him jump up, terrified. Nerves were being worn down, and Cora had been seen in close consultation with the doctor in hushed tones.

Gilbert had been valiantly searching through the books to no avail, and had thrown down the biggest one with a sigh. If a miracle was going to come, it wouldn't be from there. The doctor had spent time with Gilbert talking over the symptoms and distinct hallmarks of the case, attempting to draw him out of his grief by engaging his intellect. To a degree it worked, however it was never for long- one sound from the girl's lips, and he would be by her side, tenderly stroking her face. The doctor had encouraged him to keep searching, and it filled his time as well as anything else could.

Gilbert slowly stood and walked to the window. It was open, however the curtains were eerily still on this day.

When his mother had checked on Anne and announced quietly that she was returning home for a few hours to gather some things, Gilbert settled in for a quiet morning. However, he startled by a loud thump outside the door to Anne's room. He came out to see Marilla and Martin wrestling with one of Anne's trunks in the hallway. After Martin had gone on his way, he asked Marilla what she wanted to do with it.

She have a little sigh. "I suppose all of the clothing should be rewashed, it has been in there for almost a month." She opened it, and then sat back on amazement. In a tone much more like her normal self, she exclaimed- "Heavens above, what was the child thinking?" Gilbert's eyebrows flew up, and he looked into a trunk where clothing, shoes and books were scattered everywhere haphazardly. A guilty look came to his face, and he cleared his throat.

"Er- Marilla, that would be _my_ fault, I'm afraid."

Marilla's face was amused. "Well, this should be entertaining."

Gilbert gave her a sheepish grin. "It's nothing. The day before we left for Bolingbroke, we were busy packing up. I'd come to help Anne, and it was late in the morning when we came to pack the trunks. Anne was anxious about getting them ready for the wagon to take, so I- helped."

"You _helped_?" Marilla commented, her tone wry.

"Well, I didn't know how to pack them all, so I just- er- threw them in somewhat."

His face had flushed, recalling the afternoon in question. The other reason the trunk had been packed so hurriedly was something he had no desire to tell Marilla- or anyone else, for that matter. He'd been trying to do most of the work for her, something Anne had noticed and protested against vigorously. He had decided to use more _persuasive_ methods, pulling a giggling Anne down to the little rose coloured mat with him and rendering the argument pointless. When the clock struck noon, a dishevelled and red-cheeked couple had together thrown all of the belongings set aside into the trunk in question, after adding yet another precious memory to the little blue room.

The older woman only shook her head at Gilbert with a slight smile, as she began to empty the clothing from the trunk. In times past she would never have done such a thing in front of the boy, but now, well- she sighed. Such considerations seemed unnecessary, now. Gilbert bent down then, picking up a bundle of papers and journals from the mess.

"What are they?" Marilla asked, curiously.

Gilbert frowned. "It's her writing, I think. The schoolwork she wanted to keep is in the other trunk, that was packed before this one." He gave her guardian a quick look. "Would you mind if I had a look through these?"

Marilla shrugged. "It's more likely you would know what you were looking at than I would."

He smiled sadly, and carried the bundle into Anne's bedroom, bending over her with a tender look, to brush her hair back from her face. He was surprised to hear her hoarse voice.

"I'm going to beat Gilbert on the next spelling test." she muttered.

He chuckled, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Of course you will, sweetheart."

* * *

It was late afternoon when Gilbert could be found walking in through the gate of the Blythe farm. He had called out to his father and Davy where they were stacking hay on the front field, but walked resolutely toward the house. Once inside the farmhouse, he threw himself down on the sofa, closing his eyes with a groan. He'd never been one to lose his temper so easily- he prided himself on remaining cordial. But Rachel Lynde was straining his last nerve.

Restlessly he got up, and stood for a moment in indecision. They had said they would call for him if Anne was worsening- and he believed that they would. But it had been suggested that he take some time to cool down, and to spend just _one_ night in his own bed. He had agreed, under protest. Rachel had proceeded to tell him that she _understood_ his frustration, and felt that a change of scenery might make him more _reasonable_. Under his mother's furious glare, he had mumbled an assent.

Gilbert had felt some panic when he went to say goodbye to Anne, but had been assured by his mother that he would be called the moment anything changed. As he kissed her brow, she had stirred slightly, and he listened in some trepidation to her words. At times her delusions had made them smile, and at others it had left those with her in tears. It was, luckily, the former.

"Gil?" she had said, her brow lowered, her eyes clouded. "My corset isn't tight enough."

He had choked down his laughter, after seeing Marilla stand up taller in shock. "Anne-girl, it's alright. You're in your nightgown," he said softly, with a grin.

"Then I'm _definitely_ not ready for the ball."

At this even Cora struggled to contain her laughter.

Marilla cleared her throat, her voice dry. "That's enough of such talk, Anne. Gilbert will be back to see you in the morning."

"Well, that's good." Anne said slowly, trying but utterly failing to lift her head. "I'm sure I'll be out of my nightgown by then."

Hardly daring to meet Marilla's eyes, he had suppressed the twinkle in his own, and after kissing her again left the room quickly.

* * *

Now, he emptied his satchel on his bed, running his hand over the pages, closely covered by her handwriting. It was then that he uncovered the most precious of all- the little green journal that had almost stopped his heart from beating when he found it amongst the papers. He had held it in his hands, not daring at the time to open it. He would do it later, in private. The heat in the closed up room was becoming stifling, and he looked out towards the pond with a calculating look. Surely if they needed him they would find him there.

An hour later, Gilbert sat on the wooden pier that overlooked the deepest part of Barry's Pond, behind the Blythe orchard. Often he had sat on it fishing- often he had brought Anne here, when the walls of his home seemed too close with her inside them. When his bedroom upstairs seemed to throb and pulse, and he wondered uncomfortably as they worked if she had any idea of the dreams he had of her, while he lay in bed each night. He looked out across the water, his eyes wistful. Every place in Avonlea reminded him of her- the laughing girl who had snubbed him so terribly, the one who had lain next to him under star filled skies, telling him animatedly of a week's worth of teaching stories. The time she had found him in the darkest part of the orchard, and insisted that he tell her what had upset him, so much that he missed their study afternoon. He gave a little chuckle. Aunt Mary Maria never knew that a furious Anne Shirley had been close to storming his mother's afternoon party, in order to give Mary Maria a piece of her red-headed mind. Sitting in front of him amongst the trees, her temper had made him laugh and remember that no matter what the future held there was always a girl with sparkling grey eyes, who reminded him that anything was possible.

He thought back on the words that had cut his eighteen-year-old self so deeply- that his parents would never recover from the financial hit they had taken at John Blythe's illness. She pronounced that Gilbert's ideas of Redmond were selfish and self-serving, and a dereliction of his duty to his family.

"You'd do better to support your parents, rather than driving them into penury." she had said, her tone heavy with judgment. "Really, Cora, you've filled this boy's head with nonsense. He'd better do his duty to you both, and stay where he belongs."

Gilbert leant back on the pier on his palms, with a deep sigh. The proof had been in the pudding, he supposed. In his desk lay the crowning achievement for four years of hard work, the degree he had once believed to be impossible. In the same drawer was the letter congratulating him on the Cooper prize.

He looked around the pond as far as he could see, noting the dryness of the ground. The willows were almost perfectly still, and the surface of the water was mirror-like in the calm. Every now and then little bubbles would appear in the deep, showing that a few fish still remained at this end of the pond.

He'd been trying to not to think about the Cooper.

There was a sudden step behind him, and his towel was thrown over his head, and a thump beside him. When he'd untangled himself it was to see an amused Fred dropping to the boards beside him.

"What was that for?" he grumbled.

"I was told I'd find you here," Fred said, amused. "Just like when we were kids. You going in?"

Gilbert shrugged. "Maybe." There was a brief pause before he asked- "How's Di doing?"

Fred gave a wry smile. "Still waiting. She's worried about Anne. She sent me to Green Gables to see if there was any news. I saw your mother, she said you'd gone home for the day."

"Not by choice." he said grumpily.

Fred chuckled. "Yeah, she said you needed a break. Did you really yell at Rachel?"

Gilbert reluctantly grinned. "It's why I'm not there."

Fred laughed, and pulled off his shirt, tossing it aside. "She probably had it coming."

Gilbert choked a little, beginning to laugh at the sight of Fred's bulging arms. "Good grief! That's what farming does to you?"

Fred gave him a smug look, flexing his muscles. "If you wanted bigger biceps, maybe you should have tried wrestling cattle instead of science."

There was a silence then, and Fred thought about what Mrs Blythe has asked him. Internally he groaned, wishing that Diana was here to do it for him. He really wasn't good at this.

"So how are you really doing?" he asked, at last.

Gilbert only gave Fred an incredulous look, who raised his eyebrows and nodded. "You're right. Stupid question. Your mother was a bit- _concerned_ when I spoke to her." Gilbert remained stubbornly silent, and Fred sighed. He didn't have the time to get Gilbert talking, he had to get back to Di soon. He did the only logical thing he knew to expedite matters. He gave his morose friend a hefty shove, and as expected, an unsuspecting Gilbert was thrown off the end of the pier and into the water.

When Gilbert came spluttering back to the surface, he was livid.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" he shouted.

Fred ignored him, kicking off his shoes to jump in himself. The water was cool and almost perfectly clear, and he kicked back lazily, ignoring the splash he got from a disgruntled Gilbert. Soon, however, most of Gilbert's clothes were tossed out of the water and onto the pier, and Fred grinned. "See? Water helps everything. I miss living by this pond."

Gilbert squinted in the sunlight, an unconscious sigh escaping him. It _was_ pleasant. The two of them struck out towards the middle, and as Fred wiped the water off his red face, he looked at Gilbert quizzically.

"So when do you go back to Kingsport?"

To his surprise, Gilbert laughed bitterly.

"You can't really think I've had time to think about that?"

"I dunno _what_ you're thinking. I won't till you tell me."

At that Gilbert scowled. He aimed a kick at his old friend, who ducked out of the way with a laugh before splashing back toward the pier. After a few minutes, Gilbert followed and flopped down beside him on the bank breathing heavily.

"A bit out of shape there, academic boy." Fred said with a chuckle.

A sudden breeze came across the water, and Gilbert turned towards it, watching the current swirl leaves around the nearby bridge. This was where he had seen her running with Diana, where she had come to meet him to go stargazing. Gilbert swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to be away from this place. He sprang up from the bank, walking a short distance away, before Fred spoke to him, his voice patient.

"Gil-"

He suddenly turned on Fred, unable to keep the rage down any longer.

"This is not _fair_ ," Gilbert said bitterly. "Why even give us a year, if it's all going to be taken away? Why let us become so close, why let her turn to me only to have her lose her life because of it?"

"Gil-"

"You don't _get_ it. She would have been safe with him, she wouldn't have gotten sick, and she would have been alive. I could have survived if I knew that she was happy."

"She wasn't happy!" Fred retorted. "You know it, and I know it. There's a reason she broke it off, and it was _you_. She's the happiest she's been in her whole life, because of _you_. And you know if you asked her, she'd chose the year, even if it was her last. I saw her letters, you know. Had them read to me while I was trying to get the chores done. Anne Shirley chose you with eyes wide open, and she'd say this is _worth_ it."

Gilbert's look was savage, as he kicked a rock into the water. "Do you know how many times I made her cry, just this year alone? _I broke her heart._ And even when we were back together, I put her through hell to walk me through this year- and for what? For me to keep things from her, to ignore her because I had work to do? I didn't see everything she was going through, I wasn't there enough-" his words failed him then, depression settling on him heavily. "It's not. It's not worth it to lose her."

Fred shook his head, letting out a breath. "Gil, that's life- that's just a normal relationship. She never saw it like that. She was always telling Di how you looked after her- how proud she was of you, of how hard you were working for the scholarship."

Gilbert swallowed, his thoughts bleak. "Well, I won't be taking the scholarship," he said, in a low voice. "I don't think I can go back."

Fred swung his head to look at him, shocked. "You _have_ to-"

"No, I have to not _leave_ her-" Gilbert said hotly.

"It's only for a time, Gil. You can't just throw everything away because of this!" Fred said, in disbelief.

"If, by some miracle she comes through this, do you think I can just let her go for months at a time?" Gilbert choked. "To not see her, not know if she's alright?"

"Gil, she's Anne Shirley. She'll do just fine." Fred argued warmly, only to stop at the wave of fury on Gilbert's face.

"Well, maybe _I_ won't be!" he shouted, his voice cracking. He tried to take a deep breath in, against the rising anxiety in his chest. "Do you know what it's like to be afraid to lose the one that you love, and be completely unable to do anything about it? I've _done_ this before. But of course you don't, you always knew Di loved you." he said angrily. "You never had to try and move on with your life without her. And then I found out that she cared- that she _always_ cared- and we had just _one_ year together. But now I'm in danger of losing her- and don't think I don't know what the doctor really thinks- if she lives through this I can't- I just can't go."

Fred let out a whistle and shook his head slowly. After a few minutes, he spoke. "Alright, Gil."

Gilbert gave him a sharp look. "You're not going to try and talk me out of it?"

Fred shrugged, running a hand through his short hair. "I doubt you'd listen to me."

Gilbert was silent then and looked at the faint clouds on the horizon.

"It's not that I'm ungrateful," he said, slowly. "But she's more important than everything- including becoming a doctor. I was- I was doing it for her."

Fred shook his head. "Well, now you're just lying to yourself," he said bluntly. Gilbert's eyebrows rose in warning, but Fred simply shrugged. "Sorry, Gil. But you've wanted this longer than that."

Gilbert spluttered. "I did _not_ \- I didn't even know what I wanted to do till her- till the two of us were friends. I did it hoping that I could provide for her- for _us_ -"

"No, you didn't," Fred said stubbornly. "Look, do you remember the first time I pushed you in the lake? I'll give you a hint. We were ten."

Gilbert looked at him in disbelief. "When?"

"Just before you left for Alberta."

There was a brief pause. "I don't remember that."

Fred sighed. "You were scared and angry, and you hadn't talked to your parents for a week." At the sudden recognition on Gilbert's face, Fred grinned. "There it is."

"I- I forgot."

"I found you out here when ma came to visit. You gave me the silent treatment until I pushed you into the lake. When you came up, you yelled at me for a bit and then tried to drown me, and then you started telling me what was wrong."

Gilbert's head fell into his hands. "I was terrified," he said, defeated. "I never felt as bad as I did then- until now."

Fred nodded, carefully emotionless. "Gil, you told me that when you were grown up you wouldn't let anyone be sent away from their home- that you would learn how to doctor them right where they were." Knowing he had surprised him, he grabbed some pebbles from the bank, tossing them one by one into the water, hearing them drop in the stillness.

"I don't remember that."

"So when you told me you were going for some big medical school scholarship a few years ago, it made sense." Fred said, with a shrug. "Gil, you wanted it before you even knew Anne. I'm not downplaying what you feel for her, the whole world can see it. But you can't let go of the rest of your life. She'd never let you do that."

Gilbert brushed a hand over his eyes, swallowing. "I can't lose her, Fred."

"Yeah, you can." he said softly.

Pierced by his words, Gilbert gave a choked cry. Almost had he leapt up, when Fred continued, his voice sober. "Gil, I have a wife at home, and a baby on the way who according to the doctor is over two weeks late. And however hard I work, I can't guarantee that Diana will be alright. You know what happened to my sister-in-law. I can't even guarantee that my son or daughter will survive." Gilbert was looking at him, horror-struck, and Fred shrugged, his careworn face showing the weight that rested on his shoulders. "And there is nothing I can do about that. It would- it would kill me to lose her, to lose my baby-" this time it was Fred's voice who was unsteady- "But I can't make it not happen."

Gilbert was dumb with shock. He was silent for long minutes, trying to think of a way to respond.

"Then- then what do you do?" he faltered.

Fred picked up a leaf from the ground and held it on his palm. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I have to hold them lightly. If I cling too tight, I won't be able to function at all. I'd always be afraid. But to care for them I have to go about my work and expect to come home to them every evening. And I have to tell myself that they're going to be fine."

Gilbert's face was grief-stricken. "I thought- I thought that it would get better- I thought I'd feel safe if we could just be together."

Fred shook his head. "If anything it gets harder," he said honestly. "But love is worth it."

The two of them sat in silence for long minutes, enjoying for a time the stillness of the landscape around them.

Eventually, Gilbert swallowed, wiping his face with a shaking hand. "Thanks."

Fred aimed a light punch into his shoulder. "Come on, you know you'd do it for me. And I needed the swim."

Gilbert rose to walk to the pier, grabbing his wet clothes from the ground to wring out. "She's going to be fine, Fred. The baby too."

Fred gave him a sad smile. "And so will Anne. She has to be. I have a pregnant wife and a best friend who need her to be alright."

* * *

Later that night, Gilbert lay back on his childhood bed with a deep sigh. He'd washed and shaved carefully- his mother's conditions for entering Anne's room in the morning- and had talked with his father and Davy over a simple meal. John Blythe had said little to his distracted son, but as they went to bed, he pulled him in for a tight hug. He and Davy were doing well together- and the two of them had been helpless with laughter when a sheepish Gilbert told them the reason he'd been sent home for the night.

He lay on his bed for some time, the warm wind coming in through the open window. He could see the willow his grandmother had planted, moving gently in the breeze. His father had cast a thoughtful look at the movement of the trees that evening, and another at the still clear sky. A storm was brewing, he'd said. Probably tomorrow night. Gilbert gave a slight shiver, thankful that it wasn't happening yet. He'd promised he'd be with her when the storms came.

He pulled out the journal from under his pillow, holding it to him for a moment. With a powerful ache in his chest, he'd opened the green leather cover, looking at the shape of her letters, at the scrawls she had placed on the margin, the crossed out bits, and those followed with innumerable exclamation marks. He knew that her writing lay waiting for him, however it was this that his soul craved- the sweet spirit he had missed, that she poured out as naturally as breathing. Little vulnerabilities that she would share with him, making him a gift of her trust. A pang hit him at that moment, remembering how often he had kept his own fears close to himself. He'd spent a decade protecting himself from her penetrating his thoughts- hadn't he done that, even when they were together?

Swallowing back his grief, and telling himself that he would do better, he opened the book before him willing himself to hear her, to feel her with him as he read. As it turned out, he didn't have to try- her heart was on every page.

Some of the earlier entries were poems- little flights of fantasy, snippets of wit and whimsy. Here and there were slabs of prose- written when she had something to work out in her mind. Confusion about the direction of her course, worries about money. A sense of being lost in the academic world of Redmond- of being so very far from home. As he read, he smiled at the way she would describe the others- Stella in her chair at the table, paperwork all around her. Phil, leaning over the lounge, nagging and cajoling Anne into keeping her company.

His breath almost stopped when he came to his own name. It was dated last summer- the summer she had spent in Valley Road. He read her thoughts there- muddied and broken and so unlike her. And yet so very like the girl who had faced him in grief and fury on the night of the hurricane.

There was a gap in the book then, almost as if pages had been torn out- and then there were her words again, and little, pressed flowers that sat in the crease of the pages. A lily of the valley, a pink tea rose. A small sprig of golden rod. The poem she had shown him, word sketches of the places they had visited together that autumn.

Gilbert's eyes were tender, and he turned the pages carefully. Here was her very heart. Fears about loving alone, about losing him. Brief flashes of her fiery spirit, furious at herself for bumbling her words around him like a giddy schoolgirl. The entry that announced her intention to move to Siberia, if things were going to get any more awkward between them. He chuckled, watching the changes between them happen across the pages. Her joy on the night of the ball- she mustn't have slept for hours, judging by the length of that entry. As he moved through the book, he watched the year they had spent together pass- through the night they became engaged, travelling through misunderstandings and _new_ understanding, the turmoil of college, and the hours of bliss they spent together. Little things that had mattered to her, and moments where she was trying to uncover a truth about herself, or about them. With a sigh, the book fell back onto his lap, and he watched the starlight through his childhood window.

Fred's words had stung him- just like the water his mother used to run over his cuts and scrapes as a boy. Of _course_ he wanted to be a doctor- it still mattered. Hadn't Anne said that to him, not so many weeks ago? Of course she mattered more- but it wasn't a choice between them, it never had been. She only wanted him to fulfil that dream, as surely as she had to pursue her own.

And he knew now that he was wrong. If all he ever had with her was this year, then it was worth it. The time so sweetly pressed between the pages of the book he held, her beloved heart in words. They had won. She loved him, and he loved her. If he had to live the rest of his life without her- it was still worth it. Worth it to know that she was his- that she held him in the core of her heart. To know that she was proud of him and that she would have been, no matter what the outcome of the Cooper prize had been.

With a prickle of shame, he thought about the way she had feared for him. He'd never told her how right she was about their time apart, that it was more than simply not eating, or studying too late. He'd given up. And if- if she didn't live, would he do the same? Drift into a life of unimportance, where he didn't try any longer? What kind of answer would that be to the faith she had in him?

The moon was rising now over the trees, an almost full moon as it had been on their night in the garden. When he closed his eyes he could see it still- the swaying branches overhead from the tree, the hedges that rose around them protectively. The white blossoms and sharp green rosemary, and the trickle of water from the fountain. And Anne walking toward him in the light yellow gown he had scarcely been able to keep his eyes from over dinner- something Anne herself had commented on in a low whisper, causing him to choke on his water at the table, and her grey eyes to twinkle at him irresistibly.

It was the night he had told her that he would leave everything for her. Willing his breath to steady, Gilbert was hit with a wave of regret. For making her afraid, as he knew she had been, and for letting his fear get the better of him. But as he lay in his old bed, the regret that could not be reasoned away was that he hadn't made love to her then and there, in the secret place.

Gilbert's breath caught then, remembering what Anne had said to him- that there were things in the journal about them that she was mulling over. He picked up the book with shaking hands, turning towards the most recent section. In smaller writing than the rest, as if the author had wanted these most private thoughts to remain invisible, he breathlessly read what she had written.

' _These thoughts are so new- and yet it seems as if they must have always been here, in the fabric of my mind. That I've somehow always longed for this, for the uniting of the two of us; body, as well as soul and spirit. It's a terrifying, exhilarating feeling to want to lose yourself in someone else. How will it change us to truly know one another? When there are no longer any barriers between us- barriers we must so reluctantly adhere to right now. And the reluctance is certainly present. The thought that in just one moment of rashness we could understand the most sacred of mysteries- and I won't lie, at times rash is all I want to be._

 _Mrs Lynde was so very thorough with her warnings about the nature of the relationship between men and women- although I could have told her it wasn't necessary. I can see everything I need to know in Gilbert's eyes- as he no doubt can in mine- not that that is something I can tell her. I can't imagine us being closer than we are, and I wonder in three years time what we will find: if that is the point we rediscover what we have now; or if instead, all that we are, all of what we will go through in the time apart will make our union somehow bigger, brighter, even more precious. I rather suspect the latter- which must be our only comfort right now.'_

* * *

Dawn was still an hour away when Gilbert stood beside his bed, pulling his satchel out. He repacked a few clothes, books, and the papers Dr Edmonds had loaned him. There had to be something he hadn't seen yet.

Within minutes he was heading out of the front door, shutting it quietly behind him. He'd left a note on the table, telling his father that he'd gone back.

He walked the pathways between them, following the tracks so many had used before him. A cool breeze whispered down Lovers Lane as he moved, a rabbit scuttled out of sight into the birches at the crossroad. He covered the distance swiftly, and then Green Gables rose before him in the darkness. He could see a light in the kitchen, and dim candlelight showed in Anne's window. He walked through the gate, intending to sleep on the porch if no one was up yet. To his surprise, the kitchen door was unlocked, and he opened the door to see Rachel, wiping her hands after placing soft balls of dough in oiled bread tins.

"You're late." she said, with a slight smile. "I had a cup of tea ready for you half an hour ago."


	35. Chapter 35, Here with You

**Chapter 35**

When Gilbert stepped into Anne's room just before dawn, it was to find his mother asleep in the chair, her hand resting near Anne's. He knelt by the side of the bed to see her face, his eyes stricken. She was so frail now, compared to the girl who even in their school days had had the resilience of a willow tree. Her forehead was still so hot, and she shifted slightly as he placed the damp cloth against her cheek. He watched her lips move slightly, and bent to kiss her.

"Morning, darling." he whispered.

To his surprise she cautiously opened her eyes, and he found himself smiling, looking into her beloved face. The corners of her parched lips turned up slightly, and he rested his cheek against her warm one. She tried again to speak, and he looked around for her water glass. Alarm slammed in his chest when she couldn't lift her head, and he gently supported her to take a sip. She smiled at him in response after she had drunk from the cup, and he let out a brief sigh of relief.

"It's really you, isn't it?" he asked softly. This time her smile was bigger, and he bent to hear her soft words.

"Just who _else_ …. have you done…. this… with?" she breathed, making him chuckle.

He tucked a loose curl behind one ear. "No one. You've- you've just had a rough couple of days." His voice faltered at the last words, and he buried his head in her pillow, a little tremor running through him. He felt her turn her head, to rest against his own, and sighed. When he lifted his head, he met her eyes for long moments.

"You've got to keep fighting, Anne," he said, softly.

There was a little puff of breath then that made him jump, until he realised she was trying to laugh. "What... do you _think_ … I'm doing?"

He grinned, bringing his face close to hers. "It looks like you've taken staying in bed to a whole new level."

She turned her head towards his hand, her eyes closing at the touch of his fingers. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and sat there until her breathing steadied once again.

His mother had woken at the sound of the quiet voices and bent over Anne, gently pressing her fingers to her wrist and looking at the little clock on Anne's desk.

"She will be most likely be quite tired, dear. She didn't sleep very much last night."

Gilbert gave her an alarmed look. "You promised you'd call for me-"

Cora shook her head. "No, love. She wasn't upset. But she did talk most of the night through, both in and out of coherence." she said dryly. "You featured quite heavily in the conversation."

She watched her son grin, a spark of pride on his face. "What did she talk about?"

Cora stood, pulling the blanket down from the bed, and turning to open the blinds behind the white curtains.

"Oh, this and that," she said mildly. "How smart and how handsome you are, and how _exhausted_ you got last year- now that was something you never told us in your letters; that you saved her from drowning once? Something Marilla knew, however one that you completely failed to mention to _me_ \- and- what else was there, Marilla?"

Gilbert jumped, having not seen her standing at the door. Marilla crossed to join Cora with some fresh washcloths, and an amused glance passed between them.

"She was quite cross at you for studying all night this year instead of sleeping, Gilbert."

Gilbert let out a groan that made both women laugh. "Look, it's not fair to hold me responsible for what is given away in delirium."

Marilla walked from the room then, and the smile dropped from Gilbert's face as he turned to his mother.

"It wasn't all like that, though, was it?" he asked, his voice resigned. He hadn't spent so many nights at her bedside without knowing how quickly her mind would move from thoughts of happiness to the ones that she had never spoken of to anyone.

Cora sighed. "She mentioned being whipped when she was five. She also talked about not having enough to eat at times-" Cora swallowed, her eyes furious. "How some people can take a child in and mistreat it is completely beyond me." She took in a deep breath. "I wish to heaven Marilla hadn't heard that."

Gilbert's jaw set stubbornly, as he looked down at Anne on the bed. "I'll make it up to her, I promise."

Cora wrapped her arms comfortingly around the son who was nearly a foot taller than she was. She released him then, with a quizzical look.

"I _did_ want to ask you about something else, dear. She was quite agitated at one point-"

"Then why didn't you send for me?" he interrupted, incensed.

"It was well under control, Gilbert. But she made a comment that neither of us understood. Anne said that she kissed you- and that she shouldn't have?"

Gilbert froze. He knew exactly what she was referring to. He'd deliberately told his mother so little of what had passed between them, not wanting to add to the bias his mother had had, back when they had first rekindled their friendship. As he looked into the eyes that were so like his own, he swallowed. Maybe it wasn't only with Anne that he had to become more open.

Gilbert's face flushed. "She did kiss me, yes. But it was the _right_ thing to do." he said evenly. His mother's face was a study, and he sighed, knowing how badly she wanted to ask the question. "Look, it happened on the morning after the hurricane. It had been the worst night of my life- and it breaks my heart to know that as bad as it was, like you just heard, she's had worse." He paused, swallowing hard. "That night Anne found out about Oxford, and learned that I hadn't planned on telling her that I was going, or saying goodbye."

Cora's eyes were horrified. " _Gilbert_ -"

He met her look calmly. "Mother, you know I didn't handle any of it well. I made some very stupid and hurtful mistakes. Because I saw her with Roy, I assumed she no longer cared about me at all. And because she saw me with Christine, she thought the same. We had fourteen months and two weeks worth of hurting each other unknowingly, and the schoolhouse saw the full repercussions of that."

A pale-faced Cora sat down on the armchair in shock, while Gilbert took the chair at her desk. "So when I refused to speak to her last year-" Gilbert's face was answer enough, and her eyes closed in pain. "I assumed she that didn't care for you."

His laugh was painful. "Oh, she cared. And she cared more than she realised." Gilbert's voice fell to a whisper. "I hurt her badly that night."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand-"

Gilbert rubbed his face. "That night I told her that I didn't think that she loved Roy, and that I didn't believe he loved her-"

At this Cora's head came up, in anger. " _Gilbert Blythe_ -"

"But I told her I only wanted her to be happy. And that I didn't think it could be with him. And after going through more pain together than I care to admit, in the morning I walked her part of the way home. And we tried to say goodbye properly. She- she didn't think she would ever see me again, and she couldn't stop crying." By this point, silent tears were falling down Cora's cheeks. "I thought the same. And in the end, there wasn't anything more that we could say to each other- not even goodbye. But I held her- and then she kissed me."

Cora's eyes lit in understanding, and she brought out her handkerchief to dab her eyes. " _That's_ why you changed your mind. That's why you didn't go," she said softly. "Well, in that case, thank the good Lord that she _did_. Why on earth would she feel so badly about that?"

He shifted at Anne's desk, with a guilty grin. "Because of Roy. She wrote to him to end it the same day. He wasn't the happiest of people about that."

Her look was startled. "Was he still at Redmond when the two of you went back?" Cora frowned with a lack of comprehension when Gilbert smiled.

"Yes. He's a good fellow. A bit stuffy, and serious, but a gentleman through and through."

"You never had words?"

Gilbert gave a shrug. "Well, I didn't say _that_. But a year changed a lot of things- for all of us. He's met someone now who makes both him and his family happy- and Anne and I have each other."

Cora let out a long breath and stood, bending to kiss the top of his curly head. "Son, we'redoing everything we can to get her through this," she said earnestly. "And by the way, in three years and approximately nine month's time, I expect to see some grandchildren from the two of you."

He chuckled, and walked to the window, opening it to see a crimson sunrise. Cora crossed to peer outside in the morning light.

" _Red sky in morning, sailor's warning._ " she quoted, her eyes on the horizon uneasily.

Gilbert nodded. "Dad said it'll be here tonight."

"Has he got everything ready? I don't want them out in a storm-"

"Ma, he's fine. You know Dad, he's prepared."

Cora sighed. "You're right. I only hope we have everything that we need as well." The two of them looked at Anne for a long moment and then began to prepare themselves for the day ahead.

* * *

It was nearing ten-o-clock in the morning when Dr Telmann entered Anne's bedroom, giving Gilbert a brief nod. He went to her side to lay a gentle hand on her forehead, his brow contracting at the heat still on her skin as she slept.

"She took some water this morning," Gilbert said, his voice low. "She was awake for a while and talking-"

"Coherently?"

"Some of the time." Gilbert stood and handed him a piece of paper. "I wondered if you'd heard of this."

The doctor put his bag down, sitting down on Anne's desk chair. Gilbert sat down as well, after assuring himself that Anne was still asleep.

"Salicylate of ammonia?" he said, after a minute.

Gilbert pointed to the name and date at the top of the page. "It's being used by Dr Barnett to treat various fevers. It's a paper that was sent to Dr Edmonds at the university recently. Dr Barnett submitted two years of results to the department, he's seen it have an impact on typhoid."

The doctor fell to perusing the paper with interest, including the note that had been written at the bottom by one of Dr Edmond's interns, regarding the possibility of the side effects of larger doses. Gilbert stood at the window, trying to restrain himself from pacing.

"I never found quinine effective." The doctor muttered, after a minute.

Gilbert turned to him, his arms tightly crossed. "So what do you think? Is it something we could try? You said if we could get the fever down it would give us some more time."

Dr Telmann sighed. "I don't know yet. Can I take this with me?"

Gilbert's shoulders dropped, but he nodded. "It's one I need to send back, so I'll need to get it back soon."

The doctor nodded, and he rose to go to his patient. He pulled his stethoscope from his bag, something that drew Gilbert's eyes. When he felt curious eyes on him, he cleared his throat with some difficulty.

"She- Anne gave me one for my graduation," Gilbert said.

"A stethoscope?"

Gilbert nodded and gave a faint smile. "She hunted down some medical students to find out what would be useful."

Dr Telmann smiled. "Sounds like she's got it all figured out." He moved her nightgown to listen as he had for so many days, while Gilbert turned to give her some privacy. When the doctor moved the nightgown back carefully, he looked speculatively at the young man.

"You haven't refused that scholarship yet, have you?"

Gilbert dropped to the chair beside Anne, with a shake of his head. "No."

"Good." He turned to him then, remembering rounds in the Kingsport hospital as an intern. "Alright, Gil, what am I about to do now?" he asked, good-naturedly.

"Listen to the lower abdomen, and check for signs of tenderness," Gilbert mumbled, without thought.

"Excellent. Now, has your mother told you what to be looking out for, as far as complications go?"

"Sudden, sharp pain, lack of response, respiratory distress-"

"Good." The doctor stood, moving to wash his hands in the basin that had been provided. "Just between you and I, I feel much better leaving her with you and your mother." he said frankly. "Look, just don't make any quick decisions, Gilbert. You're as promising a student as I've ever seen, it would be a shame for you to throw that potential away."

To keep from looking at the doctor, Gilbert moved to the bed, tucking in a loose sheet with a gentle hand.

"I meant to check with you; Anne has a contract for a teaching position in Summerside that starts in the fall." He didn't need to finish the statement, seeing Dr Telmann nod.

"We're entering the fourth week, Gil. The fever either breaks soon-" he said, hesitating.

"Or it doesn't. I know."

"Look, she's still got some time." The doctor commented. "It's the end of June- with any luck, she'll have a good two months to recover. Two months should work wonders."

"Do I need to let the school know?" he asked slowly.

"I don't believe so. I'll be keeping my eye on her, for a month at least. He turned to Gilbert with a little smile. "Now I have a message for you from Fred and Diana Wright. They asked me to give you the news first."

Gilbert tensed, turning to the doctor.

"It's a boy. A big, healthy boy, named after his father. Mother and baby are doing well."

Gilbert let out a joyous yell that made the doctor laugh, and the two men saw Anne stir on the bed. He crossed to her and bent over the bed, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Did you hear that, sweetheart? Di had a baby! A beautiful little boy." he said softly.

She opened her eyes then, however Gilbert could see that she was once again in her dream world.

"A baby?" her voice said faintly.

"A little boy."

She looked at him dreamily for a second, before a little sigh left her lips. "Alright, Gilbert. We can have one after medical school." she mumbled, not seeing the bright red flush on her fiance's face, and the chuckle of the doctor behind him.

* * *

The stillness of the air outside had the inhabitants of Green Gables on edge that forenoon. Marilla moved swiftly to secure the house for the coming storm, and Rachel worked through the morning to prepare baking and linens for the next few days.

John Blythe and Davy visited in the late morning to see if any extra help was needed, giving Cora some peace of mind as well. She sat downstairs to have lunch with the older ladies and her husband, while Davy was sent up with a plate for Gilbert. The twelve-year-old nervously stood in the doorway, hesitant to knock, until Gilbert motioned for him to come in.

"She's sleeping now, Davy; it's alright." he said gently. Davy handed the food to Gilbert and stood watching her.

"I thought she'd be better by now." he mumbled.

Gilbert sighed. "Typhoid takes a while. It- it might be a bit longer." He saw Davy swallow and nod, before the boy stopped cold, and turned to him with a funny look on his face.

"Wait, have you been sleeping in her _bedroom_?"

Gilbert choked back a sudden laugh, suddenly seeing Anne's ' _little brother_ ' in the boy.

"It's not like that, Davy. She needs someone here all the time, and my mother needs sleep too sometimes. I sleep in here so I can be here if she needs me."

Davy could only shake his head, his expression dubious. "That's just weird."

Gilbert could only barely hold back his grin. "I think you'll understand one day." He watched the boy creep up to her side softly, his heart clenching to see the fear on his face. He remembered being that afraid when his father was sick.

"She's so thin." Davy turned to Gilbert then, his eyes pleading. "Will she get better?"

He couldn't bring himself to lie. Well-meaning people had done that to him- only his mother had told him gently that they might need to prepare themselves to lose his father. He'd fought her words- he'd flown from her then. "I- I don't know. But we're doing everything we can to help her." he said, his throat closing over.

He put his arm around him as they watched her, until the boy nodded, and he soon left the room to return to the adults downstairs.

As the afternoon wore on, Gilbert kept an eye on the clouds that were building along the horizon. He'd tried to distract himself with reading, however Anne lay so still that he found himself watching her anxiously, checking her breathing. His mother had barely left the room since one, and Marilla and Rachel had remained close all afternoon.

In the hours he and she had been alone that morning, he had watched her from his chair, his elbows on his knees, his eyes wistfully looking for signs of change. Her head was turned from him, and so he allowed himself to slump, to not be strong for a moment. He'd been trying to keep faith, to keep hoping as she would have done. However, the paper he had been reading that morning had fallen from his hands in shock as its words penetrated his mind, and sank into his heart.

 _Children_.

He knew how much Anne longed for children, had known that about her for years. When the subject had come up for the first time after they had come together Gilbert's heart had been reduced to a puddle at the way she spoke of it to him- with great, wistful eyes, and one of the most vulnerable looks he had ever seen on her face as she shared this desire with him. It had taken every ounce of self-control he had to answer her calmly, when all he wanted to do was to shout it to the rooftops- that Anne Shirley wanted to have babies with _him!_

A tear fell, one that he wiped away impatiently. If she survived, would it even be possible now? Had the sustained fever taken that chance from them? As he blinked hard, he shook his head slightly. It would make no difference to him, although no doubt there would be grieving for them both- but he found himself smiling through watery eyes. What would Anne Shirley do? She who created families around her, who drew others together and cared for them all- if their own baby was not a possibility, of course, they would adopt. Probably a dozen children who had been as alone as she was, and they would be theirs to love. He knew how Marilla adored Anne, how much joy she and the twins had brought to her life. And Anne would be the most wonderful of mothers- he'd watched her with Davy and Dora for years. Wisdom and patience, affection and fun- she would bring their home to life.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when his mother came into the room, her look guarded.

"Alright, what is it that you don't want to tell me?" Gilbert asked, his eyebrows raised.

Cora clasped her hands together, with a frown. "You're getting as bad as your father. He can always tell." She rather shakily drew in a breath. "Dear, Marilla was wondering if you could give her a little time alone with Anne before tea this afternoon. An hour or so would do; I dare say that Rachel can find something for you to do in the meantime- or you can take a nap, if you would like."

Gilbert's look was uncertain. "Why- why would she want me away from her?"

Cora gave a little sigh, her eyes filling with tears. "She doesn't. Gilbert, she just wants some time alone with her little girl. She has been very respectful towards you, conceding that it is your right to be by her side- especially after those two weeks. She doesn't want to stand between you. But I imagine there are things that she needs to say to her." Cora wiped her eyes carefully. "And things that you and I don't necessarily need to be present for. She just wants a little time with Anne."

Gilbert's jaw trembled. He knew what his mother was not saying- he knew that Marilla was preparing to say goodbye. Stubbornly, he shook the thought away. "Why- wouldn't she ask me herself?"

"Because she doesn't want you to see her cry." Cora said simply. "She believes you have enough to deal with." She moved to Anne's side with a fresh bowl of water, pretending not to see the way her son turned from her, the anguished hands he pressed to his temples. Several minutes later, when he finally turned back, he only nodded.

"I'll- I'll see what Mrs Lynde needs me to do." he said, his voice constricted. "Maybe she needs some more wood for the stove. I could use the exercise."

Cora dropped the cloth beside the bowl, and moved to his side. "Gilbert, you do understand what the doctor is saying, don't you?" she asked gently. She took in the way his shoulders tensed, and carefully put her arms around him. He didn't need to answer, badly needing the comfort his mother's embrace brought for just a few moments. He rested his head on hers, before gently pulling away.

"We didn't give up on Dad." he said quietly.

"And we're not giving up on her either." Cora said firmly. "But we need to let Marilla handle this for herself the way that she needs to, and give her the privacy to do so." He nodded, and on cue, a sober Marilla came to the door. Gilbert couldn't quite manage to meet her eyes, but he bent down to kiss Anne's cheek, whispering that he would be back soon.

* * *

An hour later, a startled Gilbert looked up from the wood he had energetically been chopping. The thunder rumbled as lightning shot across the horizon, and the clouds that were building in the direction of the shore. He shivered slightly. The anniversary of the hurricane had come and gone ten days ago, during the fortnight they had been apart. Gilbert had fled his home to sit on the schoolhouse steps alone, reliving the night they had spent there. As he told his mother, it had hurt. But the proof that Anne Shirley cared for him was written on every expression, and he dwelt on the memory of her beloved face in those moments. Now, he looked up at a sky that was threatening to rain and began to stack the wood in his arms. As he did so, he saw a rider coming up the road quickly. With a jolt Gilbert realised it was Dr Telmann, and he was quick to drop the wood on the veranda to greet him.

"What's wrong?"

The doctor swung out of the saddle, a paper bag in one hand. "I found it." he said, wiping his brow, and tying the horse to the fence.

Gilbert froze. "Found what?"

"Salicylate of ammonia!" he said impatiently. "I didn't think the apothecary in Carmody carried it, so I didn't want to get your hopes up." He stopped then, his face stern. "Now, you understand that there are no guarantees-"

Gilbert was already moving inside quickly, and the doctor caught his arm.

"No, Gilbert, you _can't_." he said sharply. "I won't promise anything with it. We can only tell Marilla that it's a different medication. You need to swear that you won't promise that this will cure anything."

The younger man slowed, his breathing heavy. "Alright, _alright_. But you obviously think it's worth trying."

The doctor waited while Gilbert collected the kindling he had cut, and stacked it against the wall, trying to regain his own breath. "Jones said that a doctor he dealt with in Spencervale had used it to treat a young missionary who had arrived home with malaria, that it worked as an anti-pyretic. And that's what we need."

Cora was inside the kitchen when the two of them came inside, and she was soon examining the white powder, firing questions at the doctor about how to administer it, what the dosage was, and how frequently they were able to give it to her.

Gilbert let the two of them go up the stairs ahead of him, and he went to wash up at the back of the house. He slumped against the veranda post, thanking God that something had been found. Deep inside he knew that there wasn't much time- that against all their best efforts, if the fever continued, she would slip away. It was with a jolt of terror now that he realised how much in denial he had been- and that he wouldn't be able to convince himself of comforting lies any longer. In the distance he could see forks of lightening moving towards the beach, and as he drew in a deep breath, he squared his shoulders. The storm would hit soon- and he would be with her when it did.

* * *

At nine-o-clock that night an exhausted Marilla and Mrs Lynde had gone to bed, and Cora was preparing to sleep for a few hours while Gilbert kept watch. She hovered over her charge anxiously. Cora had managed to get the bitter dose of medicine into her while Gilbert stayed close, his heart clenching at her feeble protests. Anne had woken with a start at the first crack of lightning, her confused grey eyes blinking at him pleadingly.

"Please, _please_ sweetheart." he had whispered to her, smoothing back her hair. He held her close while she swallowed the solution, and then laid her back down with a kiss on the forehead.

When Cora was done, she sat back on her heels with a tired sigh. "We're to repeat that in twelve hours, if we can. Anne, sweetie, well done." she said, touching her cheek with a little smile. She stood up slowly as Gilbert came to his feet to tuck the sheets in around her. The rain had begun now, and Gilbert closed the window, pulling the drapes to muffle the sound. When he was done, he dropped to the chair beside her, and Cora came around the bed to put a careful hand on his shoulder.

"It won't always be this hard." she said gently, bringing his eyes to hers. "It's one thing to learn how to care for patients, but caring for those you love asks something else of you entirely. You can trust me on that."

Gilbert didn't ask his mother how she had known the thoughts that had tormented him.

He cleared his throat. "There was a night when Dad nearly died, ma." he said quietly.

Cora stood frozen, watching him with huge eyes.

"There was a bad dust storm on the plains late one autumn, the first year we were there. We couldn't see outside, and it got under the doors, under the window panes." Gilbert was silent for a moment, and a shudder went through him. "Dad couldn't catch his breath. I made it to the ranch house to get help, but it was an hour before they could send for the doctor. Mrs Fuller didn't know what to do. Dad- Dad's face was so white. And I boiled the water on the stove, but it didn't help- and I just had to wait, and watch him gasping for air. It was four hours later when the doctor finally came." He gave the ghost of a laugh. "I couldn't sleep for days after that."

Cora walked away from him, her hand covering her mouth, trying to muffle the sound of her sob. "Gilbert, why on earth didn't you tell me at the time?" she said, tortured. "I needed you to let me know what was happening."

"Because Dad made me swear I wouldn't." he answered dully. "He didn't want you to worry about him."

Cora's eyes flashed angrily. "Your father was very wrong to ask that of you, Gilbert. That was a burden you didn't need on top of everything else you were carrying."

Gilbert's head hung, defeated. "Back then I thought that was how you protected those you loved. But I've learned that it doesn't really help." he said slowly. "The worst thing was the helplessness. There was absolutely nothing I could do. I didn't know enough."

"Gilbert, you were only a boy. You can't blame yourself." Cora said fiercely.

Gilbert slipped his hand under Anne's where it lay on the bed, cupping it gently in his own. "If I go back to school, I know it doesn't guarantee that I can keep her safe. But it might mean that one day I can look after my own family- that I don't need to pace the floor for hours waiting for someone else to step in. And I think if I didn't go, anytime anything happened, I'd blame myself for not being able to help them."

Cora knelt down by his side then, her eyes tender. "Gilbert, forget the scholarship, forget about what you are living through in this moment. Do you actually want to be a doctor?"

He thought of the stethoscope in his trunk, the books that he had almost memorised in the long weeks since they had left college. The childhood dreams, the pictures he drew about his future with her in front of the fire, and the spring morning when he told her what he was working towards. The answer rose to his lips effortlessly. "I do."

Cora smiled. "Then that is what you will do. And if there is anyone who will be as proud of you as we are, it's Anne. She would never let you give up."

Cora stood then, lifting her hands to rub her weary face. "Dear, you know to call me if you need anything. I'll go and try and get a little sleep now." She touched his cheek and as she left, she closed the door behind her carefully. Gilbert stood then, a faint smile on his face. The little priest had been right- confession _was_ good for the soul.

He sighed, and moved slowly to change into a pair of clean pyjamas. The wind outside was howling now, and Gilbert listened to the cracking and groaning of the trees in the haunted wood, watching the way that Anne flinched at the sound. He sat on the side of her bed, his arm across her, speaking to her gently.

"There's a storm, darling, that's all. It's going to make a bit of noise, but I'm here."

She moved again, and Gilbert smoothed his hand across the hair his mother had so carefully plaited that afternoon. He could see that she was neither awake nor asleep, and he continued to speak to her gently. "Do you remember all those times you and I got caught out in bad weather? Hail once, rain a hundred times, I think. And that sandstorm on the beach- I had sand everywhere for days." he said, with a chuckle. He noticed that she was settling more at the sound of his voice, and smiled. "Do you know, that this is the second time we will be together all night long? It appears storms are our speciality. I know it's hardly the romantic atmosphere either of us would have liked, but we're together." He watched the thin face on the pillow and studied her mouth carefully. Was it his imagination, or was she responding to him? Did the corners of her mouth move a little? At the next crack of thunder, he saw the tightening of her brow, and saw her shift under the covers, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Darling, it's alright. I'm right here."

A sudden gust of wind rattled the windows, and Gilbert saw her tremble. With no other thought than that she needed him in that moment, he climbed onto the little white bed and lay down beside her. As the howling outside grew even louder he drew her frail body to him, resting his brown head next to hers on the pillow. He gave a start when he felt her move, and as he lifted his head, he turned to see startled grey eyes look at him for a moment, before relaxing and slowly closing again. There was a deep sigh, and Gilbert kissed the hot forehead that lay next to his, his heart thundering at her nearness.

"Sweetheart, this is going to be a long night." he whispered. "But I'm here with you. And I promise I won't leave you for anything."

An hour later, when the rain was falling steadily Marilla opened the door to check on the two of them, and saw two heads resting on one pillow, Gilbert's arm protectively around Anne. She moved out of the room quickly, standing in the hallway, her breath catching. Cora had also come to check, and at Marilla's expression she looked inside. Cora gasped, and as she shut the door quickly behind them she covered her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. She turned to Marilla, and shook her head.

"I won't disturb them."

Marilla drew in a shaky breath. "Neither will I."

* * *

 ***Just a quick note, the research paper is real! In 1885 Dr Barnett really did submit his results about the use of Salicylate of Ammonium instead of the previously used quinine, and it did bring down fever. It's actually one of the active ingredients in Asprin, apparently! A breakthrough in their time!**


	36. Chapter 36, I'll Find You

**Chapter 36**

In the stillness of the night as the rain lashed against the windows, Gilbert lay beside Anne, her hand resting on his palm lightly. Despite the exhaustion threatening to creep up on him, he refused to sleep the precious night they had together away. He turned his head in the dim light to see her red hair on the pillow next to him. Her breathing was shallow, however he knew she was resting peacefully for the moment. He watched the faint light of the candle flicker against the ceiling, as the wind howled outside. When she stirred at the sound, he began to talk to her softly.

"You know, this isn't at all what I had in mind when I thought about our first night in bed together," he said with a little chuckle. He turned his head to look at her again- eyes closed, her little golden-brown lashes resting on her cheeks. Her red hair had been brushed back that afternoon, however in Anne's tossing and turning some had escaped and now lay on the pillow beside her. Gilbert's fingers came up to play with one soft curl, wrapping it around his finger like a golden wedding band. He gave a little sigh. He yearned to hear her voice- but for this moment in time, he knew that she could hear _him_. He lay back on the bed again with her hand resting on his, and the other clasped behind his brown head, allowing himself to finally speak out the tangle of thoughts swirling around in his mind.

"I suppose I imagined first there would be a little wedding outside in the sunshine." he murmured dreamily. "You walking toward me in a white dress, carrying roses. Those we love are there, and I walk you out into the sunshine to meet them, and we stand before the minister, who pronounces us man and wife. My mother will cry and Marilla will try not to- Mrs Lynde will tell everyone that Providence matched us up as children. I imagine that our families will plan an elaborate feast for everyone. You and Marilla and Dora will make the wedding cake, and my mother will make my grandmother's layer cake, which is wonderful; and her mother's special cookies, which are not." Gilbert gave a soft laugh. "They've been made for every Blythe wedding since the family arrived on the Island, despite the fact that no one honestly likes them. You can be sure that my aunt will bring those to our wedding."

He turned to look at her once more, and shifted gently to kiss her forehead, his voice low and intimate.

"And then we would leave everyone behind, and- I suppose where we go is still a mystery." he said softly. "Will we go somewhere by train, or drive to our honeymoon destination? Do we spend our first night together in a fancy hotel, or a little place far away from people to be completely alone?" He couldn't repress a smile, feeling his cheeks grow hot. "When I used to live in White Sands, I used to pass the big hotel on my way back to Avonlea. I- well, I never planned on telling you this, but I often saw couples in their wedding finery arriving there to honeymoon. And I would imagine that you were with me- that one day we would drive up to the front door, and someone would take our bags and escort us to our suite." He paused then, running his fingers along her soft palm gently. "I sometimes imagine that we do that- that we spend our wedding night in one of those beautiful hotels, and that I have to figure out how to stop myself from grinning like an idiot any time we have to deal with the staff." He smiled, fancying that he saw the corners of her mouth turn up slightly.

"And I suppose it depends on where we will live- where I set up my practice. Sometimes I wonder if we could we settle here, at home- a little house somewhere nearby so that our children would grow up knowing the woods and fields here as well as we do. They would go to the Avonlea school where their mother and father first met. If that happened, we would leave our wedding and drive to our house- and our first night together would be in our own home. And I think that would be wonderful too." He smiled tenderly, imagining carrying her over the threshold. "I don't think I ever told you that I saw what you did at Fred and Diana's house on the morning of the wedding- the beautiful flowers arranged around the house. I nearly fell over when Fred told me that it had been you. All I could picture was you scattering those rose petals on the bed. It hurt at the time- but then later I wondered if you were thinking of me; because I know that I couldn't help thinking of you." he whispered. "And if I'm honest, I kept seeing you and I in that bed. I had to get out of there so that I could keep functioning that day."

He rolled onto his side to face her, and a slight smile crossed his face as he ran reverent fingers down the long braid that lay beside him on the bed. "I'm guessing that this isn't what you pictured either, Anne-girl. But I can promise you that there's nowhere else I'd want to be. And I'm believing hard that day is ahead for us still- and that it will be the most wonderful day of our lives." He reached out to touch her soft cheek, and then for the cool washcloth to soothe her heated skin. It was with a big sigh that he lay back down beside her, his brown curls brushing across her forehead.

"I wish I knew what you were thinking, sweetheart," Gilbert said wistfully. "I wish you could tell me what you wanted- what you needed right now. I wish I could talk to you about some of the mistakes I've made- some of the things I didn't have the courage to face before now. And I _will_ tell you those things- but I need it to be when you're ready to hear it, and when you can tell me that I've been an idiot. Because I have. I should never have kept anything from you, even if I thought I was doing it to protect you. I- I know that now. And I promise that I'll try and do better." She moved a little as he sponged her face, a little sigh falling from her lips that made him smile. "You have no idea how much I'm going to have to tell you when this is all over, Anne-girl. I've realised a lot of things while you've been- asleep." He picked up her hand in his, not closing it around the still-tender skin. He continued to talk, almost as if trying to order his own thoughts.

"I've realised in the last few weeks that I've been fighting against losing you ever since the day we met. I lost the chance to get to know you in the beginning, and I lost another that day at the lake. When you won the Avery I knew you would leave Avonlea- and I knew that I would lose the chance that I was still hoping for to make amends." He lay on his back then, so intent on trying to put his thoughts into words, that he didn't feel her finger move slightly against his palm. "And even when we became friends, I never realised that I kept carrying that same fear with me, even if you couldn't see it." He gave a wry laugh. "It's funny- when we first came together, you kept asking me if I was afraid- and you never seemed to believe me when I said that I was. Anne, I was _always_ afraid. I was afraid that I'd upset you again- afraid that I would have to leave you to go to college, and that someone would capture your heart while I was gone. And when we had the good luck to go to Redmond together, I was watching every fellow who ever looked at you. I hoped I'd scare them away, somehow. I never _stopped_ being terrified- and for a long time I let it control me."

His breath shuddered, and for one brief moment his hand clutched hers. It wasn't a vague, shapeless fear that he was experiencing now. The doctor's whispered conversations, the grief on Marilla's face, his mother's gentle cautions- he knew what they meant. His beloved girl was with him at this moment, held beside him in a manner that would never have been allowed in circumstances any less serious than this. His breath caught terribly. Would she be with him in the morning? Would he wake only to be forced to enter a world in which he was alone?

With an effort he stilled himself, relaxing his hold on her hand carefully. He tried to continue talking to her instead, calming his voice and body as much as he was able. "Well, I thought that would end when I asked you to marry me- but it didn't. I was just afraid of different things, instead. That I'd let you down or disappoint you, that I couldn't offer you what some other fellows could." He rested his head against her shoulder for a moment, his eyes closing in pain. "I know, I was underestimating you, I suppose I even underestimated myself. I was completely terrified of what three years could do to us. And all the while I kept telling you that it was going to be fine- and you told me the same- but I was still afraid." He swallowed, finding this harder to admit than he thought it would. "And then I learned the true meaning of fear." he whispered. "That I could actually lose you from this world- that I could have to live in a world where you loved me, but were gone. And I've realised how foolish I was to worry about the time apart- three years is nothing compared to a lifetime without you. And you tried to tell me that."

There was silence in the room for a time as Gilbert lay thinking about the mistakes he had made until a little sound from Anne brought him back to the present. Gilbert got to his feet to rinse the cloth in cool water again in the basin. His bare feet made no sound as he crossed to the window, and pulled the curtains to look out. All was dark outside the window, and Gilbert could hear the sound of the forest creaking under the violent winds and heavy rain, as the storm raged. He let the curtains fall into place and turned back to her, his expression tender. Very carefully, he lay back down next to her on his side, pressing the cloth to her forehead again, trying to cool her face. He looked at her beloved features, suddenly seeing more clearly than he ever had his future as her husband- a future where he could not fence out hurt from her life, where they would need to walk through the valley of the shadow together. Through sickness, through childbirth- through hard work, and times of grief and misunderstanding where they hurt each other. In doing so, Gilbert felt a weight he had never noticed himself carrying fall from his heart. Before now, he'd felt he needed to save her, to make up to her all of the things that she had been through. It had taken him until just this moment to realise that Anne had never asked him to. She had only asked that they walk side by side.

He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, memorising the way her shoulder pressed against his own, the way it felt to lie next to her. When the thunder rolled again shaking the panes in the window, he slipped his arm through hers comfortingly, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. He began to talk to Anne then- about big things and small; about things he had done in Alberta, times he had been taken by his mother to apologise for various bouts of mayhem around Avonlea that he had been responsible for. He told her about the older sister he had never known, how he had watched the other children with siblings enviously, wondering what it would be like to be a part of a big family. He told her stories about Avonlea before she came, and about childhood visits to his Uncle at Four Winds Harbour where his mother was born. He gave a little chuckle, as he talked then about the return from the west, his visit to New Brunswick with his family before coming back to the Avonlea school where a certain red-headed girl was waiting for him.

"Charlie punched me for that, you know." Gilbert ruefully added. "Diana told everyone you weren't coming back, making half of the girls cry; and then Charlie followed me home and gave me a black eye, saying it was all my fault." He gave a wry laugh. "I wasn't going to let him make me feel worse than I already did, so naturally enough I hit him back. If you'd come back to school the next day you would have seen me with a giant bruise and a sulky expression, and him with a nose almost as big as his goggley-eyes- and neither of us talking about why. It wasn't until much later that I had to admit I actually respected him for doing it. That is, until I figured out that he liked you. Then it was war." he said easily. There was a tiny movement at his side at that moment, one that Gilbert didn't see- suspiciously like eyes crinkling with unexpected laughter. He sighed then, a slight smile on his face as he watched the low candle flicker across the ceiling.

"I guess Charlie and I came to some kind of truce at school- we got on alright, as long as no one brought you into it. We used to spend a fair bit of time together, especially after Fred left school. When he was sixteen, his father wanted his help on the farm, and didn't see the sense in him continuing. I suppose we grew apart a bit after that, especially while we were at Queens. I think he felt a bit left behind sometimes. It wasn't till I was teaching, and he started to see Diana that we got to spend more time together- because naturally enough you were with Diana, and I was usually with _you_. And didn't Fred love to rib me about that." He gave a little snort of laughter. "I actually think he got to know Di a little better when we were all off at Queens, actually. Most of the kids our age- Ruby, Josie, you and Jane, Moody, Charlie and me- we'd all gone."

The rain was beginning to steady by now, much to Gilbert's relief. When he studied Anne's face, her breathing had calmed, and the little, worried line had gone from her forehead now that the worst of the noise was over. He ran the cool cloth over her cheeks again, and she gave a little sigh, turning towards his hand. With a loving smile on his face, he stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Where he had found so many things to say to her, he didn't know. There was a strange catharsis in talking to Anne about everything and nothing, on this night that somehow felt suspended in time. She already knew him better than anyone else did- and yet little anecdotes would pop into his mind, things he had never thought to tell her before. And how strange to be in a single moment- to not worry about the future, to simply be in this world where only he and Anne existed.

"We never really talked much about our time at Queens, did we?" Gilbert said, thoughtfully. "There was too much else to catch up on, when we first became friends. And everything happened so fast after we returned." He chuckled again, a feeling of warmth stealing its way back into his heart at being so close to her again. "I used to see you and Priss and Stella together, and I'd find myself wondering what it would have been like to walk up to the three of you, and to just down and start talking. There were a couple of times I nearly did it- I wondered if the presence of Priss and Stella might make you talk to me. I'm not sure that you _would_ have though, Anne-girl. That's why I never did it. I kept seeing your face at the pond that day, and I felt I had no choice but to take you seriously. And I kept telling myself that if anyone was going to make a move, that it had to be you.

"I got so tired of the other fellows at the boarding house ribbing me about which girl I liked, and trying to figure out who she was, that I made up someone- said she was from out west. I'm sure you'll understand why I called her Cordelia." He grinned, remembering Charlie's skepticism. "I didn't want any more people talking about me liking you- especially when it was clear that you still hadn't forgiven me. The Avonlea crowd didn't buy it though- and Ruby would ask me about it every week on the walk home. I used to go on to her about schoolwork just to make her stop." He gave a little sigh, before chuckling again. "Also that year I tried a cigar that Frank Stockley brought to a dance once. Mother found out about it from- you guessed it, Mrs Sloane. And if you think me trying it at seventeen somehow made it better, then you would be wrong. She was ferocious about that.

"When we came back I thought you were going to be leaving soon for Redmond. I was kicking myself for how badly I hated the idea of you going. I didn't want to be jealous, and I didn't want to admit that I would miss you so much. We had just a day or two at home- and then Matthew died. Sweetheart, I knew how devastated you would be. I- I never told you this, but my dad had me checking on the lower field the day before- and I saw you and Matthew walking the cows home together. I ducked out of sight so you couldn't see me. I was thinking about how much Matthew and Marilla would miss you when you went- and then it seemed to hit me how much _I_ would miss you. I was still trying to come to terms with that when the news came. He was so proud of you, Anne- they both were. He would love the fact that you have your degree now, and that you stayed to look after Marilla. And when you held out your hand to me, I was so glad to be able to be there for you- to be a part of making you smile again. And in doing that I found a happiness like I've never known before." He blinked rapidly then, his eyes stinging. "I'm glad. I'm glad for every single bit of it- and I don't even think I'd change our past, even if I could. Whatever my life would have been before, it's something different now because you've been in it. I'll never stop being thankful for that."

Through the darkest hours of the night he talked to her softly, enjoying her closeness as the sound of the rain diminished, and watching her dearly-loved face. His voice grew tired, and he lay for some time in silence then, stroking her fingers with his thumb. His head grew heavier and heavier, and despite the fear that she would slip away from him, eventually he let himself surrender to sleep. He was with her- and for now it was all he could ask. He allowed his head to drop onto her pillow, and gently placed his arm around her, his eyelids closing and his face burrowing into the softness of her nightgown. Just before he slept, he gave a wistful smile at the little sound she made. It almost sounded as if she had murmured his name.

* * *

 _She was walking through the old woods she loved. The pines were releasing their mellow fragrance in the mingled mist and sunshine of early morning, and summertime flowers bloomed in the shady hollows. She was not wandering idly; she was searching for someone. Every now and then she thought she heard an echo, a word, a distant laugh. She would turn her head to the source of the sound, and see a fragmented memento; an old scarf in the crook of a tree, a stethoscope half-buried in the soft grass beside a little spring. A golden locket found amongst a patch of white violets, and a worn, blue tie lying in a green, mossy hollow._

 _As she came to a clearing, she stopped, her breath coming quickly. This place was hauntingly familiar. She knew it- this was where he found her, where he always found her. Her senses told her that she was alone; the woods behind her were completely still, completely silent. Still she turned her head in every direction, knowing that he would come for her. She deliberately turned towards the wood again, knowing somehow that he would be there. On the edge of the forest, she closed her eyes then, waiting for the footsteps that she loved._

 _A branch behind her broke, and from some hidden bough, a bird sang sweetly. Her cheeks flushed, and her heart began to pound, as she finally heard his footsteps behind her._

 _This time there could be no hesitation- she had found the one her soul loved. She turned to him, her eyes searching his face. Glowing hazel eyes met her own as he pulled her to him. His mouth was hungrily seeking hers, his breath warm against her skin as he held her close. His lips were on hers, and she became aware that a light, warm rain was falling on them both, dampening her skin in the golden sunlight. His mouth moved against hers breathlessly, his arms holding her tightly to him. With a gasp she felt him drawing her to the soft ground with him, his body warm and firm next to her own. She pulled him to her again with a little laugh, her long fingers stroking the roughness of his jaw as he pressed himself into her._

 _"You have to wake up, sweetheart."_

 _Anne pulled away from his lips breathing heavily, one eyebrow quirked in disbelief. "Really? Right now?"_

 _He chuckled, and her skin prickled at the sound of his laughter against her. " Yes, now. It's been long enough, hasn't it?"_

 _She looked around her, puzzled, as the sunlight and trees began to fade from her sight. She could still feel his body next to hers, and it was with a little fear that she spoke his name._

 _"Gilbert?"_

 _"Just open your eyes, Anne."_

* * *

Slowly, Anne opened them.

It was only a moment before she shut them again quickly, against the dim light in the room that to her felt as bright as the noonday sun. She drew in a breath, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She lay motionless on a bed, and she could hear someone's soft breathing next to her. Puzzled, she turned her head towards the sound, feeling how closely they were tucked beside her. She could still see nothing- and she gave a little internal chuckle. That was because she'd shut her eyes again. With a deep breath she opened her eyelids, blinking rapidly. They felt gritty, and it took her some moments to adjust. As she did so, slowly her room came into focus. There was a candle burning on her desk on her right, and a fresh nightgown lay on the chair beside it. Of course- she was at home. A little afraid of the answer to the most pressing question, she slowly lifted her right hand to her forehead, feeling the moisture there. The gnawing pain in her stomach that she had grown used to even in her sleep was gone, although something still felt odd there. A bird was chirping outside her window, and slowly she turned her face to her left.

Her breath caught, and her heart began to pound. Gilbert's beloved face lay beside her on her pillow, with a little crease on his forehead even in sleep that she longed to smooth out. She couldn't suppress the smile on her face. It was his arm warmly tucked around her middle, and a blanket lay over the two of them. She could see the little tray laid with medicines on the dresser and an apron hanging on the hook on her wall, with fresh white towels next to a pitcher of water. With a blinding flash, she remembered what had happened- the long weeks of illness and confusion, memories that even now lay in shadow. Somehow, somehow she knew that the worst was over.

How long she lay there, slowly testing out her senses, she didn't know. She lay her head back down next to his, simply watching the man she loved, as dawn's light slowly crept into her little white room. But then there were footsteps in the hall, hushed voices. She turned her face to the door as it opened.

Cora Blythe stepped into the dim room, smiling a little sadly at the sight of her son huddled protectively next to Anne on the bed. She'd come in only a few hours ago and covered the sleeping pair up, her heart sinking at the stillness of the girl next to him. She'd hoped- she'd always hoped- and yet she'd see it too often before. She forced herself now to look at Anne's face in the morning light- and an electric shock went through her as she met Anne's intelligent, wide grey eyes. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she stayed there frozen, tears beginning to fall.

Anne lay quietly as Marilla walked into her room after Cora, with a slower step than she had ever seen. Marilla stood beside Cora and her breath caught, hearing the broken sounds of thanksgiving coming from the nurse, and seeing for herself the smile on the face that she loved. Marilla knelt beside Anne then, her own repressed tears beginning to fall as she pressed her hand against the cheek that was damp and rapidly cooling.

"My little girl." she murmured, her hand trembling as she smoothed the red hair back from her forehead. In a voice that sounded as if it had been woken up again, she spoke crisply- "Anne Shirley, don't you ever, _ever_ scare me like that again." she said, as another tear traced its way down her wrinkled cheek.

Beside her, Cora gave a little sob. To both of their surprise, Anne lifted a finger to her mouth, while looking to the man on her bed tenderly.

"Don't wake him." she said in a whisper. "He's very sleepy."

The two woman began to laugh at that, and Cora wiped her eyes shakily, her happiness tangible. "No, Anne darling, wake him up. He can sleep another time. He needs to wake up right now."

Anne chuckled then. With what took a surprising amount of effort, she moved her hand to his cheek, stroking it gently, and smiling as he began to stir.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I must have fallen asleep." he mumbled in a husky voice that made Anne's cheeks flush, knowing both mother and her adoptive mother were in the room. He sat up then, his hair tousled, and the little blanket that was covering them fell from the bed. He then looked to both Cora and Marilla, who were openly crying, and then finally at the girl beside him. An amazed look shot onto his face, and he sprang up then, stumbling slightly as his feet hit the floor.

"Anne?" His hands came up to cup her face, his eyes filling with tears. "Anne, tell me you're alright- tell me I'm not dreaming this-" he pleaded.

She gave a weak laugh then that was like music to the people gathered around her bed. "I think the rest of you need to do the talking. What- what exactly have I missed?"

Gilbert bent over, laughing and wrapping his arms around his beloved girl, unable to hold back the joy in his voice as he held her to him tightly. "Nothing, darling. The summer was just waiting for you to begin."


	37. Chapter 37, Hearts Opened

**Chapter 37**

A rejuvenated Green Gables began to hum with noise and energy, as in days of old. Davy and Dora had returned home in due course, much to the relief of Rachel and Marilla, who had missed the children more than they would have dreamed. The women greatly appreciated Dora's quiet help, and smiled to hear a Davy brought back to exuberance again employed in the work around the yard. Up in the little white room where Anne was, she could hear his happy whistling from her window.

Anne's room bore a different appearance than it had through the long weeks of illness. Fresh curtains hung in the windows, a pale green muslin that fluttered in the breeze. At Marilla's insistence, her old quilt and linens had been destroyed and Mrs Lynde's intricate handiwork was on display in the pretty spread on Anne's bed. Crisp white sheets were folded carefully across the counterpane, and a little gold coloured shawl from Diana was draped over the end of the white bed. A tea tray sat on the little desk that had been pushed to one side, bearing cups from Marilla's precious rosebud tea set. Flowers decorated the room on all sides, most of them handpicked by Gilbert himself. The most recent posy of flowers was one that had upset Mrs Lynde's composure completely: a beautiful arrangement of roses delivered from Charlottetown, arriving with a formal note from Royal Gardner, who had heard about Anne's illness and subsequent recovery from Phil. He expressed his relief that she was mending and sent his best wishes to both Anne and Gilbert, finishing with the humble announcement that he and Penelope were engaged to marry in a few months time.

In all of the changes that were visible in the room, none were more obvious than those in the couple occupying the room themselves. Anne, much thinner than in times previous, but with colour gradually coming back to pale cheeks again, and the sparkle in her grey eyes that had been missing. Her hair was nearly braided and hanging over one shoulder, and Rachel had insisted on making Anne lovely new nightgowns that were appropriately frilled and beribboned for the visitors when they came. Anne could turn her head slightly to see Gilbert in the chair by her bed, his feet resting on the mattress beside her. There was a peace to him that had been absent for a long time now, and it showed in the little smile he would give her, before going back to his book without speaking. So they had sat for hours in the weeks that followed her illness, content to be still, and to recover together.

* * *

The talk that Gilbert had long dreaded came a week after the fever had subsided. He had watched over her carefully, rejoicing in every milestone, staying with her for every tentative step towards recovery.

When the doctor had visited that day and pronounced that the danger was past, Anne had given Gilbert a curious look. When the doctor had left, she asked him to help her to sit up slightly. He did so carefully, watching her for signs of discomfort. He settled on the side of her bed to support her, when Anne finally asked him the question.

"How long have you known, Gil?"

Gilbert's mouth was dry, and he looked back at the face that was still too drawn and pale. "Anne-"

"I heard you talking to the doctor just now. When did you know?" she whispered.

Gilbert took her hand in both of his, swallowing convulsively. "Anne, I-" he faltered, before her bewildered eyes met his.

"You said to him that the library staff were happy to have their books back- from _before_ we left Redmond." She watched as he drew in a shaky breath, trying to meet her unflinching gaze. " _When_?"

Gilbert drew in a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "I found out on the night of convocation."

Anne's eyes were anguished. " _How_ , Gil?"

"Sweetheart- I'm trying to tell you," he said slowly before his breath caught. "Anne, a little over nine weeks ago you went to Timothy's house in Kingsport to- to tutor him. Because I couldn't." He drew in a short breath, his forehead contracting with pain. "There was a water shortage in that part of town, and each house shared what they could spare with their neighbours." His voice faltered then, still hearing the pain in Mrs Saunders' voice as she relayed the way it had come. "We think there was contaminated water that came from another house. You went there- and you- you may have drunk the water, or something may have touched your cup-"

Anne's eyes were fearful, and she looked out the window, remembering. "She sent Timothy to fetch water before we began working. She brought me a glass-" she whispered, with pain in her voice. "Gil, the family- those _children_ -"

He shook his head then, his eyes defeated. "No. They were all safe, Anne. But he- he wasn't. He was already sick, most likely from the same source."

Anne looked at him in anguish, putting up her hands against the words she knew he would say. "No, Gil, please, _please_ tell me no-" she pleaded, heartbroken.

"It was Timothy who didn't make it," he said, his eyes defeated. "He died, Anne."

Her forehead creased as hot tears fell down her cheeks, and she turned her head to rest against her pillow. The words seemed to flood out of Gilbert's mouth then, and he fell to his knees beside her bed, wanting to explain, to tell her everything.

"Anne, by the time I knew you were in danger it was too late." he choked out. "I've never been so scared in all of my life- and I couldn't _do_ anything about it. There was no way to know if it would happen, I just had to wait- and wait, and _wait_. And then you were exhausted, and losing weight before my eyes, and I was terrified- we were so far from home, and you kept telling me that you were alright. But you weren't. And it was my fault- if I hadn't been sick then you never would have gone to his house. It should have been _me_ , Anne, not you. And I couldn't protect you- I tried so hard to keep you safe, and I _couldn't_."

Anne's breath was ragged, as she tried to come to terms with what he was telling her. "You- you knew before the wedding?"

He saw with shame the look of grief and fury in her eyes, and steeled himself for what he knew was coming.

"You should have told me." she choked.

Gilbert raised a shaking hand to her cheek. "I know I should have." He set his jaw, trying to stop his mouth from trembling. "But I've never been as terrified of anything as this. And I kept telling myself- that if we could just make it through another week, that you would be alright-" he stopped then, unable to go any further.

"I don't understand." she faltered, and he flinched at the betrayal in her voice. "I could have put everyone in danger- I should never have gone to the wedding- Gilbert, you should have _told_ me! You promised me that you would tell me _everything_!"

It was the Gilbert who had undergone more pain than he could ever have conceived, who met her eyes then. "Anne, what would you have done?" he asked, his voice tight. "If it was me whom you had to watch, gradually getting sicker and far from home, what would you have said? Would you have told me? Or would you have tried to keep me from worrying? Would you have been afraid that me knowing about it could make it happen before you could get me home?"

Anne looked back at him, dumbfounded. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she shook her head. Reluctantly, she answered him. "I don't know."

"You don't know what it was like, Anne." he said drearily. "I nearly went out of my mind with fear. I tried to keep you from overworking or being anxious, but there was no way for me to do it with everything else that was going on. I tried to keep you with me at all times, to not let you out of my sight- I got every bit of information that I could lay my hands on, just hoping that I could find something that would help. And in the end, I could only watch as the fever slowly took over your body." He closed his eyes, the guilt weighing on him heavily. "I'm not defending myself, I know I can't- but I nearly lost you, Anne."

His arms came around a trembling Anne, and she cried into his shoulder for long minutes. He held her closely, praying that she would find a way to forgive him. When her sobs had eased he took her face in his hands, blinking back his own tears. "Anne-girl, I messed up", he said brokenly. "I know now that it was wrong- I thought that I could deal with it better by myself- I was high-handed, and I kept it from you. I just didn't want you to feel the fear that I had- I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that. And by the time I realised what I should have done, it was too late. The others at the wedding weren't in any danger, Anne- only _you_ were. And I would have done _anything_ to take it from you."

He lay her back against the pillow then, stroking her face in his shaking hand. Her tears had exhausted her, and he knew that she would soon need to sleep- but leaving things this way was not an option.

She looked up at him, and he saw in her expression the very real anger that she felt. "I can understand that you were afraid-" she said, her voice broken. "But I don't agree with the way you handled this, Gil. We're supposed to be a team."

He surprised her by laughing then, laughter as painful as a sob. "I know that I was an idiot. But I was so sure that I had to protect you- and you're the only one who could have persuaded me otherwise, Anne. And you couldn't- you couldn't do it."

Anne's eyes were still on him, but he saw something deeper than the anger in her expression. She stretched painfully thin arms up to hold him, and with that, the last wall of his self-restraint came tumbling down. He placed his head against her pillow, great sobs breaking from his throat. In the minutes that followed, he cried against her as he had not been able to since the night of their convocation. Gradually he became aware that her hands were stroking his head tenderly, and she was whispering the same words to him over and over.

"I'm here, now Gil. I'm _here_."

When he eventually lifted his face from her pillow, grimacing at the wetness he had left behind, her hands cupped his face as he caught his breath.

"It's alright, Gil."

Gilbert shook his head. "It's not-"

She gave him a shaky smile. "I mean, that it will be."

As he knelt by her side, his hand stroked her arm, needing to touch her. "Will you forgive me?" he asked hesitantly.

Anne's arms dropped, in fatigue. "Of course I do, dearest. But Gilbert, this can't happen again. You need to talk to me. You can't possibly shield me from everything, I can't be there for you if you do that." He gave a big sigh, burying his face against her while she stroked his brown curls. "And now we start again, my darling," she said softly, her voice firm.

He chuckled then, grabbing her hand to press a kiss to her soft palm. "And now we start again." he echoed, and then swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." When his eyebrow went up, Anne gave a weak laugh. "I'm sorry for scaring you half to death, love." She was silent then for a time, and gradually he saw another tear trace down her cheek. "Timothy- did- did he suffer very much?" she said, her eyes on him pleadingly.

His look was stricken. "Anne- you don't want me to answer that."

"He was such a darling, Gil," she said quietly. "He should have had a wonderful life."

Gilbert took a deep breath. "He did, sweetheart. He had a family that he loved, who loved him too; and he used his talents to the best of his abilities in the time he had. We need to be proud of him."

"I am." There was a short silence then. "Did you go to the funeral?"

He nodded, rising to sit beside her on the bed again. "I did."

Anne's head fell against his arm, exhausted. "This is why I'm upset with you," she said, painfully. "How much were you hurting then, Gil?"

He drew in a deep breath and spoke briefly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Infinitely."

Anne burrowed her face against him. "I could have been there for you. You know that everything that affects you affects me." She sighed, and despite herself, her eyelids slowly began to droop, one hand grasping his shirt as she fell asleep.

Within a minute her breathing was steady, and he tenderly supported her head to rest on her pillows, marvelling at the resilience of the girl in his arms. He dropped into the chair beside her with a deep sigh, watching his beloved in sleep. There were still prickles of fear that would come and go as he watched her, waiting for the signs of her recovery. Watching her breathe had become a habit, one that he was not certain he would lose quickly- her cheeks were still hollow, and the violet shadows under her eyes were fading slowly. But it was over. It was over, and she knew everything now. He chuckled, thinking of all of the things he had spilt out while lying with her in her bed- he had learned, he would do better now. And even though she wouldn't remember much from that night, he would tell those things to her again and again.

* * *

Only days after this talk, Mrs Blythe announced that she would be returning home, but would come back for a few hours each day to check on her at Dr Telmann's request. A grumbling Gilbert had been sent home when she could once again sleep through the night, and when Marilla and his mother had pointedly agreed with Mrs Lynde, he submitted with as much grace as he could muster. Anne had only laughed at his response, reminding the man beside her bed in a whisper that it was time to play the part of a proper engaged couple again. He had raised one teasing eyebrow at her, with a grin- Anne knew what that meant, and hid her face with a moan as Gilbert told her yet another of her incoherent ramblings that she had spoken in front of his mother.

"Gilbert Blythe, I do believe I'm better to not know!" she said crossly, making him laugh. "I cannot possibly be responsible for what I said in delirium."

"Sweetheart, you aren't the one who had to explain to my mother what you meant!" he retorted, grinning. "I thought she was going to _kill_ me when you said how much you liked to lay down with me."

Anne groaned, pulling her pillow over her face. "Oh, my goodness. And what did she say to that?"

Gilbert's hand ruffled the back of his hair sheepishly. "Well, unluckily for me; Marilla was there for that one too. They both looked at me like judge and jury combined; although I hope I managed to convince them that it was at least partially innocent." He laughed then. "I thought they'd be furious- but when they sent me to fetch more water, all I could hear was them laughing behind me."

Anne managed a smile at this point. "Oh. Well, they are both kindred spirits," she commented with a sigh. "I suppose it is time for you to go home again."

Gilbert sat on her bed facing her, his eyes tender. "I'll still be here every day. It's strange, actually. I couldn't have imagined feeling any closer to you, before the fever. But you were right."

She looked up, puzzled. "I was?"

"You were, Miss Shirley." He took her hands in his and spoke slowly. "You said that pain was necessary- that it makes us appreciate what we have. And the good Reverend Jo once told me that there are lessons that only pain can teach us."

Anne smiled. "He's a very wise man."

"I never want to go through something like that again," Gilbert stated, his eyes on her slender fingers. "But now that it's over- I know you better than I could have imagined. And I can't be sorry about that. I feel as if you're as much me now, as I am."

"Heathcliff and Catherine." Anne said softly.

He sighed. "That's how it feels. And as much as I dread the thought of leaving you here on the Island, I know that a part of me will stay with you- and a part of you will come with me. Perhaps I wouldn't have understood that properly, at least not to begin with."

Anne studied his face, with a little smile. "I know." She fiddled with her coverlet with pink cheeks then. "Am I allowed to say how much I will miss sleeping with you?"

This made him break into delighted laughter. "As long as it's only me that hears it, darling girl. We'd be forced to marry by morning if anyone else did. Not that I would complain about that, even a little." He stood up then, taking the empty jug in one hand as she settled against the pink pillow that Phil had sent her. He smoothed the hair across her forehead, bending to kiss it. "Now off to sleep like a good girl, sweetheart, you have some important visitors coming tomorrow."

Anne looked up in surprise.

"I do? Are you going somewhere right now, Gil?"

He grinned at her. "Only home for a bath. I promised Mother that I'd try to look respectable for you, and that I'd tidy my room. She's taking the house back under her control again, and that means I have to keep it clean. I'll be back in an hour or so, I would think, and I'll be here all evening."

Anne saw him go with a smile. The house was still quiet in the early afternoon. Marilla and Rachel had fallen into the habit of taking an afternoon nap following her illness, and it was quiet enough to hear the birds in the Haunted wood chattering in the shade of the old trees. She sighed, looking toward the window. How she missed the old Snow Queen- and yet the view of the hills in the distance was lovely as well. The doctor had said that she could start walking around a little soon- how wonderful to see the trees and the sky again! She chuckled, remembering both Mrs Lynde's and Gilbert's frown at the doctor. How strange to see them agree on something, at last.

She could hear the faint sounds of someone working in the kitchen below- Dora, most likely. On the first day when Anne could sit up and the twins had come home, she had hovered nervously in the doorway, kept at bay by Gilbert's presence. Twisting her little hands up in her apron, and fighting tears, Anne held her hand out to her with a compassionate look, as Gilbert ushered her into the little white room to sit in what had become his chair. Dora had surprised everyone by bursting into a flood of tears, and an alarmed Marilla stood in the doorway, poised as if ready to remove her quickly. As the child sobbed against Anne' shoulder, Anne shook her head at their guardian. Dora was usually so placid and calm- however Anne still saw the little girl who had lost her mother at six years of age. When she had calmed down she slipped out of the room without a word to anyone.

Anne sighed, and picked up the book beside her bed, but made no effort to read it. The close text sometimes still gave her a mild headache, something that the doctor suggested may take a little while to stop. It was then that she spied another book, her beloved journal. There was a thick blue ribbon hanging out of both ends, and Anne picked it up with a frown. The ribbon wasn't hers.

She pulled it open to the page it was on, wonderingly. Her eyes flew open at the sight of writing that was not hers- and yet she knew it almost as well. It was Gilbert's black, upright writing, and her heart pounded as she lay back on her pillows to read it carefully.

 _Hello, sweetheart._

 _I'm believing that you're going to end up reading this, wondering what on earth I'm doing here in amongst your private thoughts. I could apologise for doing so without your permission, however I decided that I believed you when you said that I would most likely read it one day. I read it today. It's been days since you've been coherent, weeks since we've talked properly- and I miss you, beloved girl. Ma sent me home for the night for a break after Mrs Lynde and I argued again- mustard plasters won't help you in the slightest, that's what I told her. The last thing you need is more heat. I did apologise, but mother and Marilla thought it best that I leave for a little break. When I came away I made them promise I would be able to come right back tomorrow, so now I'm in my room at home, with only your thoughts and dreams to accompany me._

 _I'm begging you to come back to me, Anne. You were strong enough to survive your childhood, you lived through things that most of us can't imagine. You can do it again, I know the strength of will that you have. After all, you managed to resist my charms for five years, and you and I know that must have taken a great feat of strength alone._

 _I'm privileged to be the one that you love. I'm privileged to be the one who can hold you when you cry, to be the one you turn to even when you don't know you're doing it. What it meant to have you respond to me, proving to the others that you needed me to be there with you. I'm in terror that I'm away from you right now- I made them promise they would send for me if you don't sleep. Davy is snoring in the room next to me, Dad's keeping him too busy to be thinking much. He did laugh tonight when I told the two of them that I got sent home for yelling at Mrs Lynde. He says I'm his hero now._

 _When Marilla emptied your trunk, I asked her if I could look over all your writing. She handed me all of the notebooks that you keep, and they're all around me now. I never doubted your talent- but even I'm dumbfounded by what your imagination can construct. I can see you in them, beloved girl. I can see you in the girl dancing in the rain- in the old woman delightedly tracing pictures in the clouds. I could see Matthew, and Marilla, and Diana; and I fancy that the four fairies in the midnight garden are the four girls I have spent most of the last year with. But the one who made her thoughts visible in this journal is the one that I love most- she's the fairy I have been chasing for half my life._

 _I've thought I would lose you so many times before. And now it seems as if I never really understood what it would mean if I did. The pain was real enough back then- but it's nothing compared to what I feel now. I've lived over and over the mistakes that I've made with you over the years, including those I have made recently. The times I should have talked to you, should have told you what I was afraid of. All the times I should have listened to you, and not relied on my perception alone. I miss your voice, I miss your smile, Anne- I miss you. My fearless, intelligent, dreamy, and stubborn girl. I can't explain what I feel for you the way that you can- at least not on paper. But I'm praying for a lifetime to show you._

 _I'm trusting that beyond this day, there's a future for us. That one day this will simply be a part of our story, that years of happiness will make up for the pain that we're going through right now. You will walk down that aisle with me, and we'll be together forever. But no matter what happens when tomorrow comes; I'm yours, and you are mine. And I will love you always._

 _Gilbert._

For long minutes, Anne lay back on her pillows, dazed, her heart pounding. In the precious times where Marilla had come to sit with her and talk since the fever broke, when Gilbert was either washing or doing some chores around the house, Marilla had told her much of the last few weeks- had told her with regret of the way they had mistakenly kept him away. She'd spoken of the way Cora had set everything aside for Anne, coming alongside the family and stepping into their household with sensitivity and compassion. With her dry humour, she had described Gilbert's behaviour- the extremely stubborn young man who had against all propriety stayed by her side, had taken over as much of her physical care as his mother would allow him. That he had battled for the right to be beside her, argued with almost everyone in the house and had on many occasions been impossible, and stayed beside her in her very weakest state. He'd seen the very worst that typhoid had done to her and cared for her without flinching. And now to read his very heart, here in the place she had often hidden her own thoughts was like finding fragrant lilies in the wilderness.

* * *

Marilla was in Anne's room when Gilbert arrived back, beaming, and neatly groomed. She bustled around straightening up the already immaculate room, stopping to adjust Anne's pillows with a practised hand. Anne had tucked the precious journal under her pillow, and as Marilla fussed around the room, she fought to move tender eyes from Gilbert's beloved face. He could see the unspoken words in her glance, and winked at her- they would talk later.

When Marilla had gone, Gilbert moved the armchair away from the bed, and when he was satisfied with the angle, he carefully scooped a startled Anne up in his arms, carrying her and placing her gently in the chair, and tucking the little blanket that Dora had made for her around her legs gently. At first she was too bewildered to speak, until he tied the curtains back, and her mouth opened at the wonderful sight of the midsummer afternoon. The trees were waving gently in the breeze, and the nearby fields were beginning to turn golden in the summer sunshine. Through the open window, she could hear birds chirping in the tree tops, and the distant sound of the ocean crashing on the nearby shore. She turned to Gilbert, still speechless in her happiness.

Gilbert knelt down beside her, a grin on his face. "I thought you needed this, Anne-girl. You'll be out there soon enough- but I wanted you to have a glimpse of it now."

He studied her carefully. Under the doctor and Cora's instruction, they had been gradually increasing the simple food she was able to take, and he was pleased to see the colour come back to her face, while knowing it would take some time for her body to look the way it once had. Looking at the sparkle in her eyes though, he smiled. He knew that she had needed this as much as she did nourishment. While much had happened since the two of them had made their plans to lose themselves in the woods that they loved, as he watched jealously over her recovery he dreamed of taking her once she was strong enough to their old haunts. For now though, this was enough.

To his surprise, she turned from the window to him, her eyes brimming with tears. She took his face in her hands, her eyes speaking where her mouth seemed unable to. Eventually, she spoke. "Someone has been reading my journal, Mr Blythe," she said lightly, a blushing smile on her face.

" _Wrong_." he said, with a cheeky grin. "I remember _writing_ in a journal, which means you might just have been reading _mine_." She watched him sober then, pulling away slightly. "Did you mind that I did it?" he asked softly.

An emotional Anne laughed, shaking her head. Her voice shook slightly. "No, dearest. I told you that you would read it one day." She pulled his head closer to kiss his forehead. "And I understand. You needed me. I'm so glad that you found it." she whispered. She pulled away then to study his face carefully, still somewhat thin after the ordeal he had been through. "I know that this might sound silly- especially after all that we've been through in the last ten years- but I don't know if I understood before just how much you love me," she said quietly.

He held her grey eyes with his own as her fingers stroked his face. "I love you with everything in me, Anne-girl."

She smiled, a tear dropping down her cheek. "And that is how much I love _you_."

And for the first time since she had become ill, his arms came around her and he brought his lips to hers slowly and passionately. He savoured the feel of her slim hands on his neck, the sweetness of her mouth against his; and she murmured her love for him in the little bedroom that in this single moment contained the whole world.


	38. Chapter 38, The Road to Recovery

**Chapter 38**

"Phil and Jo are having fun with the parish, it seems," Gilbert said with a smile the next morning, as they read the mail together. "Jo writes that she managed to charm the most cross of the board members at their meeting- he's apparently Redmond alumni, and also a golfer."

"I would expect nothing less from the elegant Mrs Blake, Gil. Meanwhile, Stella sends her love to 'Doctor Blythe'." Anne commented, over the top of her most recent letter. Gilbert chuckled, his arm lying beside her on the bed, where he had pulled up the faithful old chair again. "She congratulates you on putting up with a most cantankerous patient and trusts that you will recover well from your ordeal. I do hope you will refute that, dearest."

Gilbert's eyes twinkled. "I can only hope my patients will mind me better than you do."

"Gilbert Blythe, I have been an _angel_!" she said indignantly.

At this he gave a slight cough, that sounded oddly like the word ' _gruel_ ', and then broke into a cheeky grin at the scowl that crossed her face. "It's alright, I swear I won't tell her about that."

The road back to a normal diet for Anne had been difficult to navigate, something Cora had taken steps to prepare Marilla and Rachel for. They were cautioned to take it slowly with mild broths and weak tea, gradually building up to more sustaining meals as the recovery progressed. Mrs Lynde suggested gruel as a stepping stone to more hearty soups, something both Cora and the doctor agreed was wise. Marilla alone was sceptical, saying dubiously that she doubted that Anne would eat it. Gilbert had given his future mother-in-law a lovably patronising look and had picked up the tray while telling Marilla to not worry so much. He headed upstairs with a broad smile, however it was only five minutes later when a decidedly sheepish Gilbert came back downstairs with a full tray. As he placed it down on the kitchen table with a look of defeat he suddenly stopped and turned to Marilla, who was stirring something over the stove.

"You _knew_ that would happen, didn't you." he commented, amused.

Marilla turned around to see him and the untouched tray, her lips twitching suspiciously. "I confess, Gilbert, that I was curious to see if you could make her do it."

At this Gilbert laughed shamefacedly. "Er- no. That was not a success. She vowed that she wouldn't eat it, no matter what I said. Alright, Marilla; I concede defeat. Tell me what I don't know here."

Marilla chuckled, wiping her hands on the cloth over her shoulder. She gave Gilbert a fond look. "She's not fussy about food; never was, even when she first came here. She was- she was too thankful-" Here Marilla seemed to falter, and then cleared her throat as she steered away from the dangerous topic. "She didn't make a fuss at all, in fact- until she caught a cold at the Sunday School picnic. I made her some gruel thinking that would be best, and she would not touch it. She told me that I could feed her dried bread and water for the rest of her life before she would let it pass her lips." Gilbert smiled, having just left her exactly like that. "After a day of trying, I finally gave in and made her something else. It wasn't until she was much older that she admitted to me that they had served gruel in the Hopetown asylum at least once a day, often more if there wasn't enough food for the children."

Gilbert eyed the thin mixture with distaste. "I see."

Marilla turned back to the stove, where a small pot was bubbling. "She would never let me give it to Davy or Dora, either. I found that applesauce mixed with a watery rice was the best substitute I could find. You can take that up to her when I've finished here."

Gilbert's look was chagrined. "Just when I think I know everything about her, something else comes up to surprise me. I had no idea she would react like that."

Marilla's laugh was genuine. "Yes, it does keep life interesting. You'll never be bored, Gilbert; I can promise you that."

* * *

Gilbert looked across at the girl in the bed now with a little smile. With the frills and tucks in the pretty nightgown Mrs Lynde had insisted on, he thought that she was as lovely as he had ever seen her. The loose sleeves disguised the painful thinness of her figure, and the little peach shawl she wore in the fresh morning breeze gave some colour to her pale cheeks. He was pleased to see her wearing her locket again, her pearl engagement ring hanging next to the pendant. Gilbert had been told that in delirium Anne had worried about its absence and pleaded with Marilla to allow her to have it back, however her fingers had grown too thin to keep it in place. Fearing that it would be lost, Marilla had placed it in her desk drawer for safe-keeping. It was almost the first thing Anne had asked for after the fever had broken.

He studied her face carefully. Between them now was an understanding he never could have fathomed years, or even months ago. From the boy who dreamed of being loved by her, without having any concept of all that same love would bring into his life; to the man who had walked through the valley of the shadow with her- so much had changed. Outwardly all was the same as before the fever; and yet as Gilbert thought back to the triumphant day when she had promised to become his wife, he found himself smiling at how far the two of them had come since that day. He thought about Anne's own words in her journal, her thoughts for what would await them three years from now: better and stronger, and brighter, she had said. He clasped the hand that had fallen to her side, and raised it to his lips, smiling at the loving look she gave him.

On the day Anne's fever had broken, Gilbert had watched over Anne, hardly daring to take his eyes from her sleeping form. Dr Telmann had come twice that day, the smile on his face even bigger at the end of the day than it had been earlier. He was still cautious and urged that the rest of them remain so, but his step was lighter than Gilbert had seen it before. The rapid response to the antipyretic had excited him with its possibilities in assisting recovery, and he had already written away to several colleagues to learn more. He left Gilbert in the room with his patient as he spoke with Cora and Marilla about what the first few days after the fever would entail.

On and off Anne slept through that first day; and while Gilbert had attempted to sleep when she did, he was not overly successful. Medicines needed to be given and sheets to be changed, meals were brought up for the bleary-eyed young man, and birds chirped loudly in the trees. Marilla came to sit by Anne's side, followed by a red-eyed Rachel, who frowned slightly at Gilbert attempting to sleep in the cot under the window. She had suggested that he might sleep better in Davy's room, a remark Gilbert did not care to dignify with a response. She should have known by now that he wouldn't go.

When night fell, Mrs Blythe knelt by Anne's side to check on her once more and placed her hand on the girl's forehead after she took her pulse. A still jumpy Gilbert sat watching her, and she turned to him with a smile.

"Her temperature didn't go back up today, thank heavens, and her pulse is coming back to normal now," she commented. "That's a very good sign."

Gilbert watched Anne unblinkingly. "She's still so weak-"

"It's going to take time, you know that, dear," she said kindly. "If nothing else happens to slow her recovery, she should be back on her feet towards the end of July."

" _That long?_ "

Cora only looked at her son then, knowing he would have seen that in his research. He sighed and gave her a sheepish grin. "I know, I'm being impatient. I just want her back."

Cora smiled. "You have her, dear. Against all odds, may I add." Cora hesitated then, wondering how to best bring up his sleeping arrangements. "She should only need supervision through the night for another few days," she said slowly, and was surprised by his chuckle.

"I know that, mother."

His mother laughed. "Between you and I, I think you may have a little grace for a few days, Gilbert. After then you're back home, I'm afraid. And I won't be far behind you."

As he watched her turn back to stroke Anne's cheek with a tender smile, Gilbert's throat closed over. "Ma?"

"Yes, dear?"

" Thank you."

Cora looked up, seeing Gilbert's heart in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Thank you for- everything that you did for her- and for me. I- I know how much you hate being away from dad."

She smiled softly. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, you know that." She gave him then the twinkling smile he had inherited from her, as she tucked Anne's hand under the sheet. "Besides, dear; this is the future for our family right here, isn't it?" She tucked a stray curl behind Anne's ear, smiling at the little sigh she gave in her sleep.

At this Gilbert's eyes filled, and he swallowed several times before he could speak. "She is. I just wanted you to know that- that I'm grateful."

He gave an explosive yawn then, and his mother chuckled. "It looks as though Anne is asleep for the night, so you may as well head to bed yourself. We all need an early night, I think. You'll wake me if you need me?"

He smiled then. "'Course, ma."

She straightened up then, groaning as she stretched her muscles out and pulled her apron off. "Goodness, this low bed is agonising to work with. You really must do me a favour, dear: when it's time for all of us to be dealing with childbirth, please be sure your bed is much higher than this."

"Mother!" Gilbert protested, his face red, and Cora laughed.

"Enjoy that feeling, dear; you will find that there is very little that can shock you once you're in the medical profession. Call me if you need anything."

It was shortly after two that night when he stirred at the sound of an owl in the nearby forest. All was peaceful in the darkness outside, and he let the curtain fall back rubbing his tired face. He turned to check on Anne, and a big smile crossed his face as he met her grey eyes.

"How long have you been awake?" he said softly. She tried to clear her throat, and he jumped up to get her cup, noticing how dry her mouth was. He helped her to take a sip of water, a big smile on his face. "Is that better?"

Anne's voice was quiet. "Much. Thank you."

Gilbert couldn't disguise the way his voice shook. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you, sweetheart."

"Oh, I think I know, Gil." She was silent for a time, and then her eyes met his wistfully. "It came close, didn't it?"

Gilbert bent to hold her then, cradling her head to his chest, before pressing a kiss to her mercifully now cool forehead. When he straightened up, he pulled the chair up beside her and took her hand.

"Does this hurt?"

Anne shook her head, and he smiled in relief. "Good." She looked at him, puzzled. "You- you didn't want anyone holding your hand tightly, darling-" he balanced her hand on his palm lightly and smiled. "This way I could still hold you without hurting you."

"I don't remember that." she whispered.

"What do you remember?" he asked softly.

Anne's head turned slowly, looking around her room. When she looked at Gilbert again, her brow was lowered. "I don't know. I suppose- little things. And I don't know if they were dreams. Marilla was crying- and I kept dreaming that I couldn't find you." she said slowly, and his hand clasped hers tighter. "And it's silly, you've been right here." She lifted a shaking hand then to brush her hair out of her eyes. "I was so thankful to see you when woke up." She lay her red head back down on her pillow, watching him with a sigh. "I'm a little afraid I'll lose you if I go to sleep again."

Gilbert's face was tender, and he rose to hold her close. "No chance. They couldn't keep me away from you, darling girl."

To his surprise Anne chuckled, and he pulled back from her curiously. She reached out to touch his pyjamas with gentle fingers. "I didn't suppose I would see you in these for quite some time, Gil."

Gilbert's grin was huge, and he sat beside her on the bed. "That goes both ways. Well, you always said we were precocious." She gave him a loving smile, and he sighed, sobering. "I'm just glad I could be here when you needed me, sweetheart."

They talked softly for a few minutes longer, until he noticed that her eyes were drooping once more. "I can't stay awake," she said with a little sigh, and he smiled.

"Just go to sleep. I'll be here."

* * *

"Darling, where on earth have you wandered?" Anne asked, and Gilbert came back to the present with a little smile.

"Oh, just thinking about the last few weeks." He broke into a boyish laugh. "Anne, do you realise how much time I've spent in your room lately? No engaged fellow should have constant access to his fiancee's bedroom and yet look at us. This is going to be a terribly hard habit to break."

Anne chuckled, putting down Stella's letter, detailing the wonders of Boston in the summertime. "For both of us. I imagine we will have some grace until I'm on my feet again, darling. After that, we can expect Marilla and Mrs Lynde to put a stop to it."

"And that's when we go adventuring, my darling," he said, his grin suggestive. "I dare say no one knows the hidden corners of Avonlea better than we do."

Anne's cheeks were pink. "Good." She gave a little chuckle then. "So I suppose it's up to me to get walking as fast as I can. I _am_ trying."

Gilbert's head flew up from his own letter, and he eyed Anne suspiciously. "Oh no, you don't, young lady. You need to be eating properly before you're allowed out the front door. The doctor said so."

Anne pulled the red braid over her shoulder, giving him an innocent look. "I'll never get strong enough if I don't practice, Gil."

Gilbert's eyes were narrowed, and he rose from the chair to his full height, before bending over her, placing one hand on either side of his fiancee in a deceptively calm manner. "Anne Shirley, tell me you haven't been practising when no one is around," he said sternly, attempting to ignore the way her eyelashes fluttered demurely against her cheeks.

"It's not as if I went _very_ far-" she argued, before catching his eye and breaking into laughter at the indignation on his face. Fully prepared to launch into a lecture, he came to an abrupt halt when she pulled him down to her to give him a swift kiss.

"I'm only teasing, Gil. But I am serious about practising. You know the doctor said I might try." Her grey eyes met his beseechingly, and Gilbert found himself weakening.

" _Please_ , darling-"

"I will be so good, I'll eat, I'll sleep-"

" _Anne_ -" She pouted at him adorably, and he began to laugh. He sat down on the bed close to her with a sigh. "I've just got you back, sweetheart, I don't want you to overdo-"

"I'm not. I just want to try standing up."

He smiled then, to see the return of the spirit that he loved- even when she drove him to distraction. "Alright then," he said suddenly, effectively wiping the smile from her face.

"What- _now_?"

Gilbert laughed. "What, all that persuasiveness, and when I agree, you back away from the challenge?"

Anne's look was chagrined. "I didn't expect you to give in so easily so easily," she admitted. "I did only just sit in a chair for the first time yesterday."

He sighed as he took her hand in his. "Look, you and mother keep telling me not to coddle you, and I'm trying to listen. But I'm not going to stop worrying until I know for sure that you're safe- and I won't know that you're safe till we try. If you think you can do it then I say let's do it now."

Anne watched him stand in front of her, and after taking a deep breath, she slowly pulled the covers off and swung her feet over the edge. Gilbert's hands were quick to steady her when she swayed a little, and he knelt down in front of her until her head stopped spinning. She gave him a tentative smile after a moment, and he gently put his arms around her.

"Alright, now remember it's been six weeks since you've done this," he said, concentrating. "So it may take a bit to get used to it. I'll help you up, and we'll see if you're ready to stand on your own."

Anne did so, and after a few wobbles she was on her feet, held securely in his arms. "Oh, this _does_ feel strange-" she said shakily. Slowly Gilbert loosened his grip on her, and for a moment she stood, giving him a huge smile. He wrapped her in his arms then, enjoying her closeness, her arms slipping around his waist.

"It _is_ nice seeing you the right way up again, darling." He kissed the top of her head, smiling. "Now, is that enough for you for today?"

She nodded, and seeing the effort it had been for her to remain upright, he scooped her up in his arms with a smile and put her back into bed. She gave a sigh of relief as he carefully tucked her under the covers.

"Thank you, Gil."

He bent down to kiss her cheek. "Now, I humoured you, Anne-girl; you have to humour me now- please only try when someone else is present, alright?"

She chuckled, lying back against her pillows. "I will. And since that was harder than I thought I'll leave it for the day."

* * *

The morning was spent as they had so many of the last- reading and talking together, watching the summer light play across a room now bright with sunshine. While Anne was having a short sleep, Gilbert wandered down to the gate to help Davy with some repairs. He grinned as they worked, finding himself in the position of teacher once again- to someone who would be his brother one day. Dora was warming up to him now as well- his constant presence in the house had worn away some of her shyness, and she could sometimes be seen wandering in and out of the room. She ran little errands for Marilla to Anne's room, and on occasion pulled a chair up on the far side of Anne's bed, giggling nervously at the way Gilbert and Anne spoke to each other. They had discussed her reaction to the two of them only that morning, and it had given him a precious insight into Anne's own background.

Shortly after breakfast, Dora had come up the stairs with a fresh cup of tea for Anne and unexpectedly came upon Gilbert giving Anne a very much wanted kiss. The girl had blushed and stuttered and quickly made excuses to leave the room. Gilbert felt awful about startling her- and was surprised at Anne's far more sanguine reaction.

"I didn't see Dora there." he had said to Anne, in consternation.

Anne only chuckled. "Darling, I wouldn't worry-"

"But I should have been more careful, it's setting a terrible example-"

Anne put her hand up, bringing him to a halt. "I think it is _precisely_ the example she needs to be set, Gilbert."

She watched his hands come to his hips ready for an argument and smiled. She pulled his arm until he was sitting before her, and spoke calmly. "Think about it, love. What is in Dora's future?"

He looked at her, bewildered. "Well, she could do anything, couldn't she?"

Anne smiled. "No, think about what _she_ would want. We _know_ Dora. She will be the sweetest of women, a loving wife and mother, and a perfect homemaker- steady, careful and loving."

"And?"

"And yet, like me, she has no parents to show her what a loving relationship looks like." Gilbert's glance was startled. "Green Gables is a wonderful home to us all- Marilla loves us so much, and we are a family. But the twins don't remember their father, and they don't have a chance to see men and women interact in a relationship in their home." Anne sighed and took his hand. "I don't want Dora struggling to recognise love, or being so shy that she runs from it. She needs to know that love isn't threatening, that it is a safe and beautiful thing." She smiled into his hazel eyes. "I'm not saying we should embarrass her, or be indiscreet; I do think though that we could help, Gil, just by being ourselves."

He sighed, giving her a wry smile. "Are you sure we won't just scare her more?"

Anne's face was thoughtful. "I don't believe so, I think it may be a good thing. I think not seeing love in action as a child may have affected me a good deal more than I realised. And you were wonderfully patient, and put up with an awful lot to be with me. I do wonder if I had seen an example closer to home, I might have had something concrete to ground me, instead of chasing after fantasies."

Irrespective of the way the conversation started, Gilbert leant over to kiss her sweetly once more. "I don't care. It was all worth it."

"I know it was." She ran gentle fingers along the collar of his light shirt, making him smile at her touch. "Sweetheart, Davy and Dora are still young- and the closest example of this kind of love for them right now is us, darling. If Dora finds someone who cares for her the way you do for me, and if Davy grows up to be a man like you who loves wholeheartedly - then I think that may be the most wonderful thing we can do for them."

"Maybe so." Gilbert conceded. He grinned then at her, and she suddenly saw the boy who had offered her the little candy heart. "All the same, darling, give me a warning next time they're behind me, won't you?"

* * *

In the early afternoon, Marilla was in Anne's room tidying again, with a pleased expression on her face. She placed chairs neatly in the room, freshened the towels on the washstand, and changed the flowers on the mantelpiece for a bunch of pretty starflowers that Gilbert had conjured from somewhere. Anne's nightgown was changed for one with a pretty pink ribbon woven through the lace, and she looked with an intrigued smile at a beaming Gilbert.

"Am I to know who our special guest is, yet?" she asked lightly. He only bent to kiss her upturned face and told her to mind her own business. Anne smiled, knowing how much he was enjoying this. Only a few minutes after Marilla had left the room there was a sudden knock downstairs, and Anne could hear voices and laughter floating up the stairs, along with an inordinate amount of shushing. Anne's smile faltered then, and she looked across at her contented fiance. He seemed to read her thoughts, however, and drew near to sit beside her on the bed, his arm slipping around her comfortingly.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"No one outside of the family has seen me." Her voice was so low that he almost missed the words that she had spoken, the little glance she gave him and the gesture towards the thinness of her body telling him all he needed to know.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, holding her close. "You're beautiful. And I promise that your guest will not have any complaints."

"But-"

" _Anne_." This time his voice was firm, and he bent his head so that he could hold her eyes. " _You're_ the gift, remember?"

She sighed and gave a little nod against his chest. A step sounded in the hallway, and Anne felt Gilbert shift so that they both had a clear view of their visitor.

A startled Anne caught her breath, and her eyes began to fill, as Diana Wright entered the room slowly, her arms holding her baby son. Fred Wright hovered in the background, and Gilbert moved the armchair so that Diana could sit down next to Anne with her precious bundle. Anne brought a hand to her mouth as tears rolled down her thin cheeks, seeing the careful way Diana turned baby Fred so that she could see his little face. The infant was the spitting image of his proud, red-cheeked father, and Anne's heart melted to see her beloved friend with her baby at last. Still not a word had not been spoken between the friends, and the men stood silently, waiting for them to talk.

"He's perfectly sweet, Di," Anne said softly, and then she watched in shock as Diana rose slowly to hand baby Fred to his father. She turned back to Anne then, her eyes flooding, and her hands nervously flapping before her. The next thing she knew, Diana had thrown her arms around her beloved friend and was sobbing into Anne's nightgown. Gilbert gave Fred an alarmed glance, who calmly tucked the baby into the crook of his arm.

"That was always going to happen," he said, matter-of-factly, to a stunned Gilbert. "Best to let them get on with it. Did you want to hold him?"

While Fred gave Gilbert his first lesson in how to hold a baby, Diana had managed to calm herself enough to be coherent and had Anne's hands tightly in her own.

"I was so _frightened_ , Anne-" she said, her voice shaking. "I thought that you might not- that you might-"

Anne smiled at Diana, her grey eyes loving. "I'm alright now, dearest. I had the most wonderful of care, and it's all over now."

Diana blinked her eyes rapidly. "Oh, goodness; I swore I wasn't going to cry today, Anne. It's all I've done for the last few months and look what I've done now-"

Anne gave a comfortable laugh, resting back on her pillows then. "Di, darling, we've all cried in this room," she said candidly. "A few more tears will hardly hurt."

Di watched her nervously then. "And it's really over? You _are_ getting better? You still look so thin, dearest-"

Gilbert spoke up then, with baby Fred in his arms. "The doctor says that she's recovering well, I promise you that she's going to be fine, Di."

"Told you," her husband interjected unhelpfully, making Diana roll her eyes.

She turned to Anne with a trembling smile. "I'm so thankful," Diana whispered. "I was terrified for you, Anne. And then Mother made me swear to check with Dr Telmann that it was safe for us to come, she stopped him in the street yesterday just to ask if it was advisable." Diana grumbled. "Naturally we had checked! As if I would place my son in danger!"

Anne's eyes flicked to Gilbert's, alarmed, however he shook his head at her calmly. "I checked as well, he said that it's fine, now. In fact, apparently, it would have been fine a week ago." Anne relaxed then, simply enjoying seeing Gilbert with the baby.

She swallowed then. In the course of the doctor's visits, he had asked for some time alone with Anne and Gilbert- and he had reluctantly told the two of them that it was possible that the fever could prevent them from having children in the future. She had at first looked to Gilbert with terror in her eyes. Anne knew immediately that he was not surprised, that he had suspected that. He had held her eyes until she steadied, and as she drew in a shaky breath, she had given him the briefest of nods. They would be alright. The doctor had stated kindly that he felt it his duty to be forthright with the two of them- however also saying that there was every chance he would be proved wrong. Anne's hand was tightly in Gilbert's as she thanked him for his care of her. They would keep hoping, and there were three years in which to recover before the discussion would need to be revisited. In a flash, Anne remembered the breathless moment not so many months ago when his hands had rested on her waist so intimately. Back then she had seen the promise of their child- and she would put her faith in that now.

The two friends visited for some time until baby Fred began to fuss.

"Anne, darling, I'm coming back in the morning to sit with you for a few hours while my mother watches the baby. She insists that it is healthy for me to take small breaks from him, however, I'm fairly certain she only wants the chance to nurse him for a longer time." Diana said, with a wry smile. "I should have seen it coming, but the battle of the grandmothers has officially begun."

Anne laughed, as Diana bent to hug her. Diana pulled back then, and seeing that the menfolk were walking out of the room, she gave Anne a wicked grin.

"Is it true that he slept in your room?" she whispered, her eyes dancing. "Marilla may have accidentally let that slip to me downstairs earlier."

Anne's blush would have given her away even if she said nothing, however she smiled. "That was only when I wasn't sleeping through the night," she admitted. "No one in the house was getting much sleep when the dreams were at their worst, so I'm told. He stayed by my side, and whenever he was there it was- better."

Di sighed. "That's like something from one of your stories, Anne. It's so romantic."

Anne let out a long breath, smiling as Gilbert poked his head around the corner. "It's wonderfully romantic, Diana. But I could never have imagined anything as wonderful as this."


	39. Chapter 39, Beyond Tomorrow

**Chapter 39**

It was the third week in July when Anne was once again allowed to step foot outside. The doctor was pleased with her progress and had told her that if she was careful, she could gradually go back to her normal activities. Visitors began to come to Green Gables in droves to see Anne, and at times Gilbert was forced to stand in the parlour when every chair was full. He watched her from across the room with a loving look that made Mrs Andrews and Mrs Bell comment in shocked tones as they walked up the lane, that it really wasn't _decent_ for the pair to show their infatuation so openly. They were shocked that John and Cora Blythe hadn't put a stop to it _years_ ago.

Jane Andrews, only one week away from becoming Mrs Inglis had insisted on coming without her mother for her first visit and was lucky enough to come while Gilbert was also absent- all the better to enjoy some time with her friend. Anne could see the happiness on her schoolmates face, as she spoke of the way she had met her betrothed- the elegant fundraiser for the school where she had been introduced to the gentle and courteous Harry Inglis. Anne's eyes shone, seeing the look of satisfaction on Jane's round, placid face. She could see her chum's true contentment and rejoiced that Jane should be so happily settled. Anne would not be attending the wedding, as Dr Telmann had suggested waiting a little longer to be out late in the evening. From Jane's description of the number of people coming, Anne doubted that she would be missed.

When Marilla had brought tea in for Anne and her guest and left the room, Jane's blue eyes were wide, as she sat primly on the chaise and asked Anne for the full story of her engagement to Gilbert. She had of course been told by her disbelieving mother in her monthly letters, however, it was quite something else to be able to ask Anne herself. There was at first some little awkwardness, when Jane had left for the west she had not noticed any particular feeling between the two of them. Anne smothered a little smile as she gave the simplest version of their history, knowing that only imagination could have helped Jane to see what so many others had. Jane was delighted, however, at the story of their happiness, and told Anne how relieved she was to see her recovering so well.

Later that afternoon, when all visitors had gone for the day Anne sat down under the birch trees at the side of the Green Gables yard, her cheeks flushed from the effort of walking this far. Marilla's rose gardens were coming into bloom, and the lilies of the valley grew thickly along the pathway. From where she sat, she could pick out the little star flowers that had grown amongst the grasses, and in the distance she could hear Martin working in the barn, talking to the old horse. She leant back against the oak tree she and Diana had often picnicked under, closing her eyes briefly with a blissful sigh. The air was sweet with the scent of the summertime breeze and Anne relaxed against the steady, old roots of the tree, her wistful gaze on the clear blue skies. Summer was moving swiftly- soon the leaves would start to turn, soon they would be going to work once more.

She looked down at the blue dress she was wearing with a little chuckle. It was one of her favorites- although it usually didn't need a ribbon around the waist to fit properly. Gilbert had teased her about the amount of food that was offered to her by anxious and worried mothers, saying that if he stepped in too often to save her from it, he would return to Redmond too rotund for his suits. She had laughed and stroked his cheeks lovingly, knowing that his father had him in the fields more and more as the days went on- even his mother's attempts to fatten him up stood little chance of succeeding against that.

There had been a faint idea of surprising Gilbert at his house, before she discovered how tired even walking this far had been. She had walked to the gate yesterday, _surely_ she could make it a little further each day. As she listened to the birds chirping in the trees above her though, she sighed, closing her eyes. She would rest- just a little...

* * *

"Davy, can you run back and tell Marilla that we've found her?" Anne heard her fiance say, and opened her eyes to see the sun much lower in the sky, and Gilbert standing above her with his hands on his hips, a stern but twinkling expression on his face. She then heard Davy's footsteps run back to the house, and assumed her most innocent expression for him as she sat up. Gilbert dropped to his knees, rolling up his sleeves as he did so in the afternoon sun.

"This is _not_ what I meant by resting, Anne-girl."

She chuckled, as he put his arm around her shoulders. "You scared Marilla by vanishing; she was just about to call you in for tea when I arrived there."

Anne snuggled into his shoulder contentedly. "I thought you would pass by me when you came."

She felt his laugh shake his shoulder. "Not if I came by the Newbridge Road; I stopped to collect the mail first. Why didn't you wait for me?"

Anne smiled. "I missed you," she said simply. "And I wanted to see if I could make it to the crossroads- I did tell Davy what direction I was going in."

Gilbert's voice was dry. "Thankfully, yes- although it didn't occur to him to let Marilla know that. I think she felt better when you were housebound."

Her sigh was dreamy as he kissed the top of her red head. "It feels longer than a year since I've been out here in the summertime- and I can't say I was paying much attention when I actually _was_ here a year ago."

Gilbert chuckled. "You were in Valley Road this time last year, hopefully thinking about yours truly-" he stopped with a smile as she slipped down on the warm grass to lay her head against his leg.

"You know that I was, Gil."

He sighed, stroking the cheek that was slowly beginning to fill out again, tracing his fingers against the little freckles that he loved. "Yes, but I didn't know that at the time, darling."

Gilbert grinned, thinking of the chaos that had ensued a year ago after the decision to stay at Redmond had been made. In the strange limbo that scared him more than he would have thought, Gilbert had driven himself crazy watching the calendar for the date she would return- lying awake at night wondering if she was angry, if she would even want to see him, if she'd been thinking about him at all.

On the Saturday before their classes were due to begin, Charlie and Moody had arrived from the Island at the boarding house at ten o clock that night. Mr Sloane was in a glowering fit, complaining bitterly about the delay of the boat, the choppiness of the strait, and the porter at Charlottetown that had thrown his luggage around. Moody rolled his eyes at a surprisingly non-responsive Gilbert, stepping over Charlie's belongings. Gilbert's nerves were already as taut as a bowstring, and he stood impatiently waiting for them to mention Anne, while Charlie dropped the last of his luggage on Mrs Saunders' freshly swept floors.

"So did you come back with the girls?" Gilbert asked, his mouth dry.

"No, they got here yesterday," Charlie said with a scowl. "The least they could have done was tell us that they were going back early; it was most inconsiderate of them to not at least _offer_ to travel with us. Some good conversation might have made today less unbearable. Moody was stuck in a book all day, and Anne barely registered that anyone else was with her."

"What- what happened?"

"I _told_ you what happened!"

Gilbert flexed his fingers, trying to restrain himself from shaking his old friend. " _Charles_! I mean _Anne_. Was she alright?"

Charlie snorted then, looking at him in derision. "Depends. If 'alright' means crying over coming back to Kingsport, staring out the window when I was trying to have a civilised conversation with her, then snapping at Moody- and the big lummox actually gave her a hug when she apologised to him!" he said indignantly. "I certainly would _not_ have been so quick to do so. That girl is _completely_ overwrought." He pushed a bag into Gilbert's arms and pulled off his overcoat, as Gilbert turned to Moody, his eyebrows nearly at his hairline.

"It was nothing, Gil, she was just a bit worked up. She was fine." Moody said defensively, shooting him a curious look. He hadn't seen that expression on Gilbert's face for a long time and was wondering why he suddenly felt he needed to explain himself to him. "I don't mean to pry, Gil; but I didn't think you and she saw each other that much anymore."

Gilbert's jaw clenched, and he reached up to the hook for his jacket. "You might be surprised," was all he said. "Look, can you tell Mrs Saunders I'm going out?"

Charlie stopped in his tracks, coming back to pick up the bag Gilbert had dropped. "It's late at night, where could you possibly be going now?" he said incensed.

Gilbert picked up a dark grey scarf, his eyes glittering strangely. "I need to go for a walk. I won't be long."

* * *

Back in the present, the afternoon sunshine picked up the copper lights in Anne's hair, and he sighed, looking down at her with a smile. "Do you remember last autumn, the day you came back to Kingsport?"

Anne turned so that she could see his face in the afternoon sunlight. "Of course."

"I- came to see you the night you got back." he said baldly.

Anne smiled at up at him from his lap. "Dearest, I know I've had my share of delusions lately, however, I _do_ feel I would remember if that had been the case."

He laughed, his face chagrined. "No, you never saw me. But I promise you that I was there."

Anne sobered. "Wait, you're _serious_ , Gil?" She sat up then, and he reached a hand up to smooth the curl on her forehead. Her eyes were big as she watched him.

"When the others got back that night I ran over to your house. I don't know what I expected to do- it certainly wasn't to knock down the door and demand to see you." He studied her grey eyes. "I think I just had to know that you were there. And I was trying to figure out how I could possibly approach you-"

Anne's eyes filled with tears. "Gil- but you _knew_ I cared by then-"

"But I knew other things too, Anne-girl. I'd realised by then that I never told you I was staying," he said softly. "I never contacted you. I knew how much I'd hurt you, and I knew I'd behaved terribly. Plus, for all I knew you'd become engaged to Roy over the summer."

He watched her mouth trembling, and put his hand on her cheek. "Honestly, I was too afraid to do anything that night- that you'd run from me, or not give me a chance to explain; I was afraid that even if we did manage to start our friendship again that Roy could object." He gave a short laugh. "I didn't even know how to begin that conversation until I was called onstage to speak- and then I saw you leave the building, and even from a distance, I could tell that you were upset. I ran after you as fast as I could- and I knew my heart was going to break all over again if you sent me away."

Anne pulled herself into his arms then, and he settled her on his lap as her eyes met his. "I couldn't have, Gil." she stated. "You know that I had questions- but you coming after me _meant_ something. I knew that." The look was on her face then, the one that he felt reading his very heart. "Why did you only just tell me this now?"

"Because I only thought of it just now," he said honestly. His glance faltered then. "Anne, I don't know how much you remember while you were sick-"

Anne tipped her head on one side. "Bits and pieces of it. I didn't know what was real."

He ran his hands up the sides of her body then, smiling at the changes in her figure even in the last two weeks. "I talked to you a lot while you were sick. I've seen that there is an awful lot I never told you about," he said lightly, accurately reading the tension his words created in her. "No, not big things, little ones. Things I either thought were unimportant, or things I tried to protect you from- even some things I wanted to keep from you. Things that would have shown you all the weaknesses in me."

Anne's cheeks turned crimson, and he could see her firing up. His large hands held her waist steadily. "Sweetheart, when you were sick I got used to _me_ being the only one talking. And I promise you can go off at me if you want to afterwards, but I hope you'll listen to me first." He watched her pink face with an amused smile, bending over to kiss her stubborn frown. "I never thought you would want to know that side of me. The one that was jealous and insecure, who would have done just about anything to get your attention. Including beating everyone else at school when you first came just to prove I could. The one who was- well, weak and selfish at times." This only made her scowl grow deeper, and he kissed her before she could respond. "But _then_ I realised that you are incredibly smart." he said, grinning at the fresh look of indignation on her face. "And no, that isn't a new revelation. But you could always read people well- you would have been able to read me too. You knew that I wasn't perfect. And when you said that you loved me, you weren't only talking to the better parts of me- but to all of me." he said simply. "I know that you want to know every bit of me, the way I want to know all of you. So that's what I'm trying to do now."

Anne's eyes were flashing, however Gilbert met them evenly. He lifted her off his lap, holding out his hand to her once he was standing. When she only gave him a pointed look, he bent down to pick her up, grinning at the cry of surprise she gave. "Now. I believe you may want to do some yelling, which should be fun- it's been over a year since we last did that properly. However I also think you want to do other things than argue with me. Mrs Lynde is watching us from her window, isn't she?"

Anne's eyes flew up the dormer window, and she met his eyes with a cheeky grin. "Right on both counts, Mr Blythe. What do you propose?"

"I propose that we go somewhere out of sight," he said with a grin, as he walked towards the wood at the back of the house and she wound her arms around his neck. "I have a list of places we need to check off our list to visit before September, places that have not had the pleasure of seeing us together yet- and since Dryad's Bubble is the closest, I say let's go there first."

Anne laughed then, pressing a kiss to his lean, brown cheek, and rubbing her face contentedly against the slight scratch of his jaw. "That sounds wonderful, Gil."

He looked down at her, amused. "Are you still going to shout at me?"

Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, and she smiled. "Let's see if you can find a way to distract me first."

* * *

Some time later, the two of them lay under the early evening light, watching the stars come out one by one. Anne's hand was in Gilbert's, and her eyes were far away in the realms of imagination.

With a sigh, Gilbert suddenly sat up. "Oh, Marilla is going to kill me." Anne looked up at him, one eyebrow quirked, making him chuckle. "I made you miss your tea, and we've almost missed supper now. You know how she worries about you."

Anne laughed. "Well, I am getting hungry, so we should go back now."

"Actually, could you hold on for a few minutes? I had something I needed to talk to you about."

Her smile was wicked, and she tugged on his hands until he was lying beside her again. "Do you need to tell me some more things I didn't know, Gil? The ones that reveal your wonderfully romantic heart?" Her hands were in his hair then, and he grinned as she pulled him closer, leaning down to kiss her lingeringly. His breath was on her ear, as he spoke softly.

"Nooo- not exactly. Although I confess that on the night I was telling you about, I _did_ watch the light in your room from the gate. When it went out I finally came to my senses and got myself home."

"See?" she whispered contentedly, running her fingers through his brown curls. " _Romantic_."

"No, it's love." He kissed her firmly, and she moved to lean against his broad chest.

Her smile was bright. "I know."

Gilbert laughed, wrapping his arms around her slight form. "So I'm going to Charlottetown in two weeks time." He studied her startled face and brushed a wayward curl behind her ear. "According to mother, I need to be fitted for new suits as an early birthday present." Anne laughed at the droll look on his face, resting her cheek against him. "I have all my textbooks, however I've been sent a list for what I'll need apart from that- not to mention what I need for my new room. So I need to get some shopping done."

Anne tucked herself into the crook of his arm, his heartbeat comfortingly close to her ear. "How long will you be away?"

"We'll go early on Thursday morning and be back on Friday evening, so you can expect me to be here for supper with you that night."

"Your parents are going too?"

"They are. I will be bringing back a surprise for you, though," he said lightly.

Anne pulled his arm around her tightly. "Just come back to me whenever you go, that's all I need."

In a swift move, Gilbert rolled over to look down at his beloved, his face tender. "I suppose- really, I'm practising. I need to get used to being away from you, and not worrying so much. I know that you're here safely, and I do have things I need to be getting on with. So I'm trying a short time away."

Anne gave a little sigh. "And I had better turn my mind to Summerside."

Gilbert sat up, pulling her up to her feet. He was pleased to see she was quite steady now, and they began the short walk back to the Green Gables gate.

"I've been thinking about Summerside, actually."

"Oh?"

"And I would like to be the one who delivers you there myself, when you go."

Anne looked at a calm Gilbert, bewildered. "But Gil, your classes-"

"-start after yours do. You've just come from where I'm going, you know where I'll be- I'd like to know where you will be living. Mother has a friend she has written to in Summerside to ask about places to stay for us, she will accompany us if you agree."

Anne's arms slipped around his waist. "Of course, if your mother doesn't mind coming. I'd better start looking at somewhere to board." She stopped him underneath a large tree in the dim light, one comfortingly out of sight of the sharp eyes of Mrs Lynde. "You know you don't need to go with me, Gil."

His hands were locked around her waist, and he studied her face, so close to his own. "Anne, I know you'll be fine, this isn't exactly about that. I want to be able to picture where you are. And I want to stay with you as long as I can- I'll leave Summerside to go directly to Kingsport."

Anne's smile was loving, as she stroked his cheek. Almost daily she felt her strength returning- and with it was some excitement she thought had gone for the journey ahead of her. There was work to be done, and she had found her mind turning to the challenge of the new school as she read their correspondence. In the weeks since the fever had broken, some chasm had been crossed by the two of them- the pain of leaving each other would still be there, but somehow acceptance had begun.

Plans began in earnest for Anne in the following week, including long discussions with Mrs Lynde and Marilla about the preparations of her wardrobe. Rachel had begun work on the items that would be made from home, and Anne was surprised at the intricate and pretty work she was doing on what would be simple and serviceable blouses. Rachel had been unaccountably gentle with Anne, even occasionally turning a blind eye to Gilbert's constant presence in the house, and the demonstrative nature the engaged pair often showed. When Anne questioned Marilla about the change in her, she was sat down, and told the story of little Meg, who had died of typhoid so many years ago, against all of Mrs Lynde's best efforts. Whenever Anne thanked the lady for her help, she stooped to give her a longer hug than normal, and received as thanks a clumsy pat on the shoulder, and an exhortation to remember to prepare warmer underwear for Summerside.

* * *

It was only ten days later when Anne finally knocked on the door of the Blythe house, her cheeks pink from the warm, windy day. Cora Blythe met her at the door, and threw her arms around the girl with a glad cry.

"You did it, dear!" she cried ecstatically. "I thought you were ready, despite Gilbert's worrying. Did he know you were coming?"

Anne smiled. "No, in view of his concern I thought I would keep it a surprise. Davy did walk most of the way with me at Marilla's insistence though."

Cora ushered Anne in with a smile, taking the shawl from her shoulders. "It's only sensible, dear. I declare you are looking better every week. You almost wouldn't know you'd been unwell."

Anne sat down on the kitchen chair, removing her hat with a smile. "Thank you, although I still have quite a way to go until I'm back to my old size again." she said ruefully.

Cora cupped her cheek, her look loving. "You're here though, Anne. That's a miracle all on its own. _Now_ ," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Gilbert is supposed to be upstairs folding his washing, although I believe you will find him at his desk reading when you go up."

Anne's eyes flew wide open. "O- _oh_. You want me to go up there, Mrs Blythe?"

"That's certainly the best way to surprise him, don't you think? He will never expect that." She stopped and laughed at her future daughter-in-law's suddenly pink cheeks. "Dear, after the amount of time he spent in your room this summer, I feel fairly certain the two of you are able to be trusted for a short time. After all, I'm hardly far away." She gave the girl a push towards the stairs. "Do remember to tell me what his face looks like, it's sure to be priceless."

Anne chuckled, although her cheeks remained rosy as she walked up the stairs. She came to the most likely closed door and knocked. She could hear books being dropped on the desk and stood expectantly.

On the other side, Gilbert opened the door expecting to see his mother, with an apple in one hand that he had just taken a bite of. He swallowed the piece in a hurry, his grin huge, as he pulled Anne into his arms for a big hug. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming, darling? I could have come to get you." He stepped back then, looking into her face, his eyes suspicious. "Anne, how did you get here?"

"I walked here, dearest."

His eyes flew up in consternation, however he stopped, smiling at the proud look on her face. "And you're sure you feel fine?"

She hesitated, wanting to be honest. "I will admit to being a _little_ tired, and I'm afraid I must ask you for a lift home-"

"You know I'll take you, sweetheart." he said, grinning. He snatched her close again, and pushed the door closed behind her, causing Anne's cheeks to burn. "You're in my room, Anne-girl."

"With your mother's permission," Anne protested, chuckling. "She said you spent enough time in my mine, that she felt she could trust us-"

He laughed, bringing her to rest against his door, and leant in to kiss her lingeringly. After a moment she relaxed in his arms, her hands coming up to hold his face tenderly. When his lips moved to the soft skin underneath her ear, she sighed blissfully.

"You know, I don't think a man in love should ever _fully_ be trusted-" Gilbert mumbled, his hands running up and down her back while his lips teased at her skin. She chuckled, her fingers playing with his brown curls.

"You aren't suggesting that _my_ judgment can be trusted right now, dearest, are you?"

"So we really should head downstairs then." he commented dryly. "Before I remind you that I've slept in your bed, and suggest that we try mine out."

Anne broke away from him with a laugh, swiftly kissing him before opening the door again. "I seem to remember a few nights like that, Gil. Luckily I was too unwell to do anything." She stopped then, seeing the look of pain that crossed his face at her words.

"I'd rather have missed it than have you go through what you did, sweetheart."

Her hand cupped his cheek reassuringly. "It's over now, love. You know that." Anne said softly. She sighed and looked around his room then with a little smile. "I always wondered what your room was like, Gil. I wanted to know if you had as many books around you as I did."

He sat down on the bed with a grin, picking up the apple he'd carelessly tossed on the desk. "And?"

Anne's grey eyes sparkled. "Even more than me. I'm not surprised." She came to sit beside him thoughtfully. "You must miss this room when you're away, I think." She ran her hand over the intricate quilt on his bed, calming blues and greens that echoed in the calico curtains blowing in the breeze. She smiled at the sprig of lily of the valley that he had in a jar on his desk, and the notebooks covered in lists on the surface. "It's welcoming."

He took her hand in his, enjoying the easy understanding the two of them had. "I do miss it. Boarding houses don't have the same warmth. And I would guess that student accommodation won't be much better. At least I get a room to myself there."

Anne drew in a shaky breath. They had been talking about the year to come more often now, and she was working at not making it harder for Gilbert to leave. "You'll be close to Jo and Phil there."

"Mrs Blake informs me that I am expected for dinner each Friday night at Patterson Street," he said lightly. "She says that she wants to continue the tradition."

Anne shut her eyes tightly together, at the stinging in her eyes. She turned her face into his white shirt, breathing in the warm scent that was unmistakably Gilbert as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, lifting her easily onto his lap. His hands were on her cheeks, bringing her eyes to his. "We have a month, sweetheart." he said softly. "A whole month in which to make as many memories as we can before we go. I want memories that I can draw on when I'm knee-deep in assignments and dissections, and ones that I know you will take to Summerside too. But most of all I want to _live_ it with you. I don't want to spend it afraid of our parting. And I know that sometimes it will hurt and we'll cry together too- but that's part of grief- accepting that it's there."

Anne's arms were tightly around his neck now, and hot tears fell from her cheeks and onto his shirt. He held her silently for some time, and as a shadow fell over the doorway, he looked up to see his mother standing, eying Anne compassionately. She smiled and ducked out of sight, giving Gilbert a moment to catch Anne's attention.

"Sweetheart?"

Anne gave him a little smile, as he wiped the tear from her cheek with his finger. "You're right, Gil." she said, calming. "We will hurt, and we will get frustrated and angry at times- and we'll get through it together."

He nodded, and rested his forehead against her cheek. "We will, Anne-girl." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and sighed. "Well, I think Mother has tea ready if you're up for it."

Anne pulled away from him then, gave him a considering look. Suddenly, she grinned, her eyes twinkling. Knowing that look on her face, he quirked one eyebrow, wondering what she was thinking. With her hands in his hair, she brought her lips to his, softly at first, but growing with intensity quickly. Long minutes later, Gilbert's breath was coming unevenly, and when she finally pulled away, her look was adorably smug. With one last kiss to his parted lips, she smiled, hopping off his lap to stand.

"I thought you would like to add kissing on your bed to your list of memories, Gil." she said innocently, kissing the top of his head and waltzing to the door, stopping with a wicked smile. "I'll tell your mother you'll be down in a few minutes, shall I?"

He couldn't help laughing, as he fell back against his pillows. She was a smart girl. He would need a minute or two.

* * *

When the family sat down to tea a short time later, Cora was fidgeting in her chair. Anne seemed unconscious of the fact, however Gilbert caught his father watching her curiously.

"Ma?"

"Hmm?"

Gilbert watched her concentrating on her tea cup; one of her favorites, with the little pattern of violets on the rim. He almost laughed at her avoidance. "Ma, what is it?"

"What is what, dear?"

"What is it you don't want to tell us?" her son asked shrewdly.

Anne's glance flew up uncomfortably, wondering if she should be present for whatever this was. To her consternation, Cora gave Anne and Gilbert an apologetic look.

"Well, it's about your engagement party-" she began, before Gilbert's exclamation.

"Ma, we said to not worry about it this summer- we've got plenty of time for that later."

Anne's face was chagrined. "Mrs Blythe, this has been a difficult time for all of us- and you were out of your home for three weeks to be caring for me. I think we all need to take our time with this."

Cora's glance was understanding. "I know, dear. And I know you're still recovering. However it turns out that Cousin Mary is coming in from New Brunswick just after we get back from Charlottetown on Friday- she and her children are making a special trip out here to see you both. They haven't been to the Island for years, and they wanted to catch you before you went back to school, dear…."

Gilbert's voice was dry. "I see."

"And Marcus is newly married, he and his wife are going to be staying at White Sands for a few days- and his mother insisted that she accompany them as well to see us, with Marcus' younger sister Judith."

Anne's eyes were huge, as she watched John Blythe try and suppress a wry smile.

"And- and your father suggested that David and Katherine would like to visit soon, and he was only able to get a doctor from Lowbridge to cover him for a week- and it will most likely be the same week." Cora added feebly. She brightened up a little as she took Anne's hand. "You've never met Uncle Dave, dear, you will simply adore him. And Katherine is a treasure. And I thought we could just have a _little_ celebration here for your engagement, for the completion of your degrees and to celebrate your recovery, dear."

Anne looked at Gilbert, feeling uncertain. This was Gilbert's family- and she didn't want to let him down. Gilbert, however, folded his arms as he watched his mother speculatively. "Nope."

"No _what_ , Gilbert John?" Cora said testily.

"That's not who you are worrying about," her son stated, and Anne looked at him in surprise, and then at the way Cora's face fell. "I want to know what you're not saying, Ma."

John interrupted this time. "Alright, love, who _else_ is coming?" he said, his deep voice calming.

Cora finally looked at Gilbert pleadingly. "David may have mistakenly mentioned in a letter to his sister that he was coming out to see us, and I received a very hurt letter asking me why she hadn't been invited as well to the engagement party for her great-nephew."

To Anne's dismay, she watched Gilbert's father begin to laugh, and her finance's head fall into his hands, as he began to laugh painfully as well.

"Gil? What on earth-"

Gilbert raised his head then, and took Anne's hands in his own, his hazel eyes twinkling. "You need to be brave, darling. You're about to meet Aunt Mary Maria."


	40. Chapter 40, Surprises

**Chapter 40**

Gilbert and his family went to Charlottetown in due course, and on Friday Anne could be found at the Wright's house on the sitting room floor, playing with baby Fred while Diana finished making tea. When she came back bearing a tray, she smiled at Anne sprawled on the soft rug next to her son.

"Anne, isn't he too little to be on the floor?" she asked dubiously.

Anne smiled. "Not for short spells, dearest. It helps babies to strengthen their neck. He's already trying to lift his little head up, aren't you, darling?"

Diana set the tray down, and hoping Fred wouldn't catch her in such an undignified position, sat down on the floor cautiously. "Mother said I had to be so careful with him, though- and Mrs Wright says little babies are too young to do anything yet- " she said slowly. "Eat and sleep, that's all they do."

Anne chuckled. "Di, just move around to your left a little."

Her bewildered friend did so, and then suddenly squealed, seeing baby Fred's head turn, his big eyes following his young mother's movements. "Anne, he followed me!" she cried happily, and Anne laughed, clapping her hands.

"Of course he did! He can already pick you and Fred out in a crowd, and when you talk to him and make faces he will try and copy them- it's how they learn. Babies do sleep a lot, but they love to interact with people while they're awake. Oh, it is so nice to be around babies again- thank you for this, darling."

Di picked him up, cuddling him close. "You are so much more relaxed with him than I am," she said with a sigh.

"Of course I am- I didn't make him." Anne said with a cheeky smile. "Di, I can have all the fun of being Aunt Anne, with none of the responsibility of turning Fred into a good man."

"Just wait till it's your turn, Anne." Di said this thoughtlessly, and then flinched in pain as she caught the look on her friend's face. She put a gentle hand on her arm. "Darling, I spoke without thinking. I'm sorry."

Anne turned to him, her look gentle. "No, it's fine, Di."

Diana placed her hand on baby Fred's bulging tummy, and looked at her. "Anne, if you ever want to talk about it-" she said tentatively.

Anne tucked a lock of red hair behind one ear, and faced her honestly. "Di, nothing is certain, Dr Telmann said that himself. He's seen many people go on to have families, and we have no reason to stop hoping that I will be the same."

Diana's look was stricken and Anne sighed, needing her to understand. "Di darling, I don't want to spend the next few years expecting the worst- I don't want to be afraid of that. We simply won't know yet. And in the meantime, we have agreed to leave it for the future." Her eyes were on the fireplace, and she let out a long breath.

Diana leant over to hug Anne until a squawk from baby Fred was heard between them. The two of them broke apart with a laugh, and Anne wiped the single tear from her eyes. "Are you alright?" Diana asked soberly.

Anne smiled at her. "Really, I am. No doubt there will be moments where I _won't_ be, moments I worry- although as Gilbert keeps reminding me, we will have children nonetheless. We'll adopt a whole house full- children as lonely and unprotected as I was before Matthew and Marilla adopted me. And there is something so beautiful in that." There was a brief moment when her smile faltered, and she spoke quietly. "I'm not giving up hope. I- I so dearly want to know what it is like to carry a child- to carry _our_ child." Her eyes met Diana's, who brushed a tear away from her own rosy cheek.

"Then that is what I will be believing for the two of you," Diana said, her voice soft. She stood up then, scooping the baby up into her arms. While Fred was laid in his cradle for a sleep, and bigger Fred sat munching on sandwiches in the kitchen, Anne and Diana settled in the comfortable sitting room with their tea for a cosy catch up. Diana had given Anne much laughter in her description of the last weeks of pregnancy, and all of the details of the birth.

"Now, Mama said I mustn't tell you anything that would make you afraid," Di said, grimacing. "However I don't think she understands-"

"That I've seen births when I was younger," Anne said with a chuckle. "Carry on Di, darling; I want to know."

Diana regaled Anne with the false alarms they had experienced, much to the exasperation of her mother, who declared that Diana really should have known better. Diana's pleas that she could not possibly know what having a baby felt like were ignored, as Mrs Barry took herself back to the spare room to sleep again. Fred had offered some utterly unhelpful comparisons with his experience in livestock and had found himself in the doghouse- until a repentant and wide-eyed Diana had told him to go for the doctor when her waters had finally broken.

Fred himself apparently had quite a rough night of it, and Anne couldn't help laughing at Diana's droll description of him missing the step on the buggy in the darkness and cutting his lip. Shortly before the baby was born he had panicked after hearing a particularly loud scream from Diana, and had flown to the bedroom door only to find that Mrs Barry had locked it earlier- the resultant crash causing a bleeding nose and a lump on the soon-to-be new father's head. When he was finally admitted into the room again an hour later to meet his son, the doctor had solemnly checked him over, assuring him that his bill would not include the nosebleed on it this time. Anne made a wonderful audience, and Diana's eyes were huge as she told her friend of the whole miraculous birth.

Eventually, the conversation turned to Anne's illness, and Diana looked at Anne curiously.

"What was it like?" she asked.

Anne looked up, frowning. "I- I don't know, actually. It was hard to separate dreams from reality, so I can't tell you what really happened-"

"Then tell me what you _thought_ happened," Diana said, with a shrug that made Anne laugh. She sobered then, trying to make sense of the jumble of pictures, emotions and words that came to her.

"I remember Marilla being there-" she began slowly. "And her talking to me. Although I don't remember what she said, exactly. I remember seeing people's faces, the girls and you, and I kept thinking I could see Matthew." She caught the look of alarm on Diana's face and smiled. "Clearly that was a part of a dream, or a memory. I also heard Ruby's voice once, I thought. At times I thought you and I were playing in the woods together and running up the pathway to school." She adjusted the cushion behind her back comfortably and continued. "And through all of that, I could sense that Gilbert was there. I remember him talking to me- and hearing his voice talking to the others, and when someone was touching me, I could tell if it was him." She flushed then, looking at Diana, who was watching her carefully. "There was always someone checking my temperature, or moving me so that I didn't get sore- and washing, changing sheets- there were constant things happening to me." She chuckled then. "At one point I got quite cross and said that I didn't _want_ my sheets changed- however since Gilbert doesn't remember that happening, I can only assume that it was all in my head."

Diana was diverted by this, laughing. "Was he really there so often?"

"Oh yes, Mrs Blythe had to order him to go and bathe each day, he wouldn't have left the room otherwise." her friend said candidly.

Diana's eyes were stricken. "Anne, darling, he was completely terrified. His face while they were keeping him away-" she shuddered, and shook her black head. "I remember thinking that he couldn't take much more heartache. I can't imagine what he was going through. I was so relieved when they let him stay with you. Dr Telmann kept telling Fred and I that you were doing as well as could be expected- although now I realise he only said that for my sake. Fred knew how serious it was."

Anne surprised Diana by beginning to laugh then. "I simply _cannot_ believe Fred pushed Gilbert in the lake to get him talking!"

Diana giggled. "You can believe it, he's done it a few times, apparently. It does make Gil cross. It's what Fred's brothers used to do to him."

Anne gave a little sigh and turned to look out of the window. Something had been concerning her, and she wondered if Diana could offer her any insight. "Di, I never realised what a challenge it would be for the two of us to talk- Gilbert and I talked about _everything_ as friends. I had flattered myself that it put us leagues ahead, as far as communicating was concerned."

Diana smiled, kicking her feet onto the settee beside her. "It's different when you're in love and working on a life together; you know that, Anne. And you also know by now just how many things the two of you _weren't_ talking about back then. You were close, but you never went anywhere near the subject of love, did you?"

Anne's eyes were expressive. "Certainly not."

"Then the biggest part of your relationship was kept under wraps then, wasn't it?" Di said with a snort. "What you _didn't_ say was far more important than what you _did_."

She watched Anne stretch out on the lounge thoughtfully, smiling at the little frown on her face. For a brief moment, Diana let herself feel the overwhelming gratitude and relief she had felt at hearing of Anne's recovery. Fred had only told her when they were absolutely sure, when the baby was nearly two days old. Diana had held her child in her arms, and sobbed wholeheartedly, much to the indignation of the infant. Diana's eyes filled again now, as she watched her- she had always envied Anne's slimness, however now it was only a reminder of how ill she had been. She studied Anne's cheeks, looking for the signs that she was filling out once more. With a jolt she realised that Anne was talking, and tried to focus on what they were discussing.

"Gil seems determined to tell me absolutely everything now-" Anne was saying slowly. "And while I appreciate that, especially in the light of how much he was alone and hurting over the last few months, I suppose I didn't realise how much he _wasn't_ saying. We had such a stressful year, or I could say several years, really; and I wonder now if I made him keep everything to himself- if he somehow felt he _couldn't_ share everything with me."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Don't be a goose, Anne. Back then he was in love with you and unable to say anything about that- and when he finally did it led to nearly a year and a half of estrangement. Of course that might have made him a bit nervous, however it's bound to be more than that." She thought for a moment and then turned back to Anne with a frown. "Did you ever wonder why Gilbert never told his side of the story about the slate incident?"

Anne blinked. "Well, everyone else saw it. He didn't need to say anything."

"No, he could have told them he'd apologised, he could have tried to get sympathy, or to blame you- for that matter, he could have told everyone he'd rescued you from drowning and that you still wouldn't forgive him."

The red-headed girl's voice was dry. "I do hope you are making a point, dearest."

"Anne, I think Gilbert always kept things close to him." Di said pragmatically. "Before you forgave him, he never said anything negative about you- he never told anyone how much it upset him. And even further back than that, Fred told me that Gil never mentioned how sick his father was getting when they were children- even though the whole town knew. He wouldn't talk about it. His teasing might make him look like he's very open, but I wonder if he simply keeps those things inside." Diana laughed a little. "Anne, you once told me when you were teaching that boys often play up to take attention away from themselves- and I remember wondering if that was Gilbert's problem at school- at least, before the slate. He was always tormenting others, especially in the lead up to him going away."

Anne shook her head. "But he always talked to me, Di." she said, thinking out loud. "When we became friends he was almost the chatterbox that I was."

Di's look was loving. "That is because you got in where no one else did, Anne. You're two of a kind- everyone could see that. And from what you told me, over the last few months he was only trying to protect you." She smiled at Anne, her face wistful. "And that's love too. It's the reason Fred never told me just how ill you were."

Anne twisted a loose curl around her fingers, her eyes distant. "Di? Were you upset that he didn't tell you?"

Diana sat up then, pushing her black hair back into the loose twist she had worn since little Fred's birth, so different to the fussy hairstyles she had always worn. Anne watched her with wonder, thinking that motherhood had brought out even more simple beauty in her beloved friend. She gave Anne a tender smile.

"No. He was terribly worried for me- and he was so worried about the baby. I may not appreciate things being kept from me, but in this he was trying to protect his family. I can hardly fault him for that. And I don't think knowing more would have made it any easier in this case."

Anne wiped away a tear with suddenly shaking fingers. Suddenly she could see Gilbert's face under the moonlight in the secret garden, desperate and afraid. The pallor of his face as he sat beside her in the sickroom, and the way he watched over her anxiously as she took her first steps around her bedroom, only a few short weeks ago. Although she had tried to understand why Gilbert chose to stay silent, Diana's words made her see his actions in another light. Gilbert was trying to protect his family- her.

Only days after the fever had broken Anne had awoken through the night to see him curled up on the chair beside her. Gilbert's mother had insisted that the cot be moved out of the little room the previous day- for space, she had decreed. Gilbert had rolled his eyes behind his mother's back, making Anne chuckle. He hadn't protested in leaving, however at some point through the night he had obviously come to check on her.

His head was against the arm of the chair now, and from where she lay she could just brush his curls with her fingers. He stirred instantly to her surprise, and she smiled as his hazel eyes searched her face. She watched as he straightened up, bending over her tiredly to kiss her forehead.

"Darling, why are you out of bed?" she whispered.

Gilbert gave a half-hearted smile. "I was just checking on you."

Anne slowly and carefully shifted to face him, with a deep sigh. "You need sleep, beloved."

He chuckled, leaning over to put his head next to hers. "I need you more, I think."

It was only a few minutes before he fell asleep again across the cramped chair, and with a little smile Anne gently patted his cheek to wake him up again. She smiled again watching him blearily look at her, and she shuffled across in her little bed. She held out a hand to him, seeing him sit up in surprise.

"If you won't leave me to go to bed, at least you can lie down here for a time. I hardly think anyone would be shocked at this point." she whispered, making him laugh. His look was loving as he lay down on top of the covers beside her, tucking his arm around her thin body comfortingly. He kissed her forehead, and she felt his body relax against her. A few minutes later the two of them were asleep.

* * *

Sitting in Diana's cozy lounge room as she watched Diana take up a bib she was making for her young son, Anne leant her head against the chair thoughtfully. Gilbert would be home that evening, and her heart quickened at the thought of seeing him again. She had scolded herself for the foolishness of missing him so much, even with so short a distance as Charlottetown- and yet the feelings would persist. The miles between them would hurt, something they had both acknowledged. The year they had spent together had been such a blessing- and yet it would make it that much harder to leave. She smiled then, thinking again of his tenderness in her room, the hours where it was only the two of them. No, there was no remaining barrier between them. It was over, and a new season had already begun.

The afternoon passed quickly, and before she knew it Davy had arrived with the buggy to take Anne home, Marilla having given him strict instructions to keep the pace steady as Martin had shown him. He stood proudly at the door of the Wrights as Anne said her goodbyes, watching her carefully for signs of fatigue as he assisted her the way he had seen Gilbert do. Anne smiled, allowing Davy to lead her to the buggy, turning to wave at a chuckling Diana on the porch. The drive home was uneventful, and Anne was deposited at the door of Green Gables, while Martin led the horse to the barn, grinning at the young man's enthusiasm.

Marilla met Anne at the door with a cup of tea, and instructions to head upstairs for a nap before supper. Anne attempted to protest, however Marilla was firm, having promised the doctor she would insist on Anne taking things slowly. So it was that Anne found herself heading to her room, passing an unusually excitable Dora and Mrs Lynde, who cryptically suggested that a change of dress when she awoke may be in order. Anne only smiled and kissed her cheek, closing the door behind her. As she flopped on her bed, she looked at the pattern of light on her walls. The curtains blew in the breeze, sending flickering shadows across the wall. Slowly she closed her eyes, thinking of the way Gilbert had held her close in this very room. There was a little smile on her face, as she drifted off to sleep. She had been quite wrong. There was _plenty_ of room for the two of them in there.

* * *

It was nearing seven o clock at night when Gilbert walked in through the front doors of Green Gables. He looked around expectantly to see Anne, only to be told she was rummaging around in the garret. He bounded up the stairs two at a time, coming to the little staircase that led to the garret. As he stepped in through the doorway, he smiled, seeing her buried in a large trunk.

"And to think I was worried that you would miss me."

At the sound of his voice Anne's head came up, and she flew into his arms with a glad cry. He grinned, holding her tightly, and bent to kiss her.

"So this is how you greet me after two days! What about when it's closer to six months, Anne-girl?"

"Then we had better not greet each other publicly," she said dryly, and paused. "Although, _six months,_ Gil-"

Gilbert sighed. "I know. But it could happen within the next three years. At least after that you won't have a chance to miss me." Her look was contented, as she snuggled close to his heart. "What are you doing up here so late, sweetheart? I expected you downstairs, hovering at the gate waiting for me, perhaps-"

Anne laughed. "Oh, I was. I was annoying Marilla though, so she told me to find something to do. I came looking for some patterns that I will be taking to Summerside with me. Things to keep me busy in the long winter evenings when I'm missing you."

Gilbert took the bundle of papers she handed him with a smile. "Beginning your trousseau?"

Anne fluttered her eyelashes at him, making him chuckle. "No, sewing for our home, dearest."

His eyes brightened, and his smile was one of boyish triumph. "Well, after three years we should be fairly well set up then. Will you finish the required amount of doilies?" He led her down the stairs, smiling at how well she seemed to be doing.

"Oh, I was thinking of doing those last. I have pillowcases and sheets- not to mention items of a far more personal nature to work on first." she teased.

Gilbert stopped with an arrested look on his face that made Anne laugh. "Sweetheart, I think your letters are going to _kill_ me."

"I do hope not," Anne said thoughtfully. "Otherwise all of this is for naught. Perhaps I should write you only thoroughly sensible letters, dearest?"

He snatched her to him, with a grin. "Don't you _dare_. I almost think it worth going away just to see what you'll write. Now, Anne- I told you I was bringing you something."

Anne looked up in surprise. "Gil, I told you that you didn't have to."

Gilbert opened her bedroom door with a familiarity that made her smile and dropped the bundle on her desk. He turned her to untie her apron then, grinning as he threw it on the bed.

"Gil, I need to hang that up-" she protested as he pulled her out of the door, stopping to take her hand.

"Later. You need to receive your gift _now_."

Anne looked at him, puzzled, and then froze, hearing an inordinate amount of voices downstairs. "Gilbert, what's happening?"

He stepped in close with a smile, taking her face in his hands. "You need to trust me, darling. Please come downstairs."

Anne finally nodded, her stomach filled with butterflies. Was this the influx of Blythes she had been expecting? Surely Gilbert would have told her if that was the case- she nervously looked down at her dress as she walked, hoping they would think nothing of her being dressed so simply. He led her to the door of the kitchen, and Anne saw Cora and John taking off their coats. Both of their faces looked calm and content, and they smiled at her, making no move to hug her. Rather, they seemed to be waiting for something. Anne turned around to see two other people being ushered in from the parlour, and she stood stock still, her eyes filling with tears. Gilbert kept his place behind Anne protectively as he grinned at Jonas Blake, and watched as a teary Phil ran to hug Anne, her laughter filling the house with joyful sound.

* * *

Marilla carried a plate of supper into the parlour a short time later to Anne and her friend, reminding her with a dry look to stop talking long enough to eat. Much had been heard of the irrepressible Phillipa, and she watched with some bewilderment as the two girls talked faster together than she had heard Anne do in quite some time. Still, her girl was fairly sparkling with happiness, a sight that made her maternal heart content. Her heart had been won by Jonas as soon as Gilbert had introduced him, his gentle courtesy and pleasant smile making her immediately at ease. Mrs Lynde offered an equally favourable opinion of the young Reverend Blake, somewhat dubiously commenting that his bride was very- _lively_. Gilbert grinned as he walked through the rooms, glad that his surprise had worked. Phil and Jo would be staying with the Blythes for the weekend and would leave to return to Kingsport on Monday.

Cora and John sat in the kitchen with Marilla and Rachel, and Dora and Davy fluttered between the two rooms. Gilbert had solemnly introduced Davy and Phil, telling Davy that whatever mischief he thought the boy could concoct, Phil would probably get there first. Phil had hugged him immediately, declaring she had heard of his exploits for _years_ now- she was thrilled to be meeting him in the flesh. Davy grinned proudly at his notoriety, promising to be on hand when they went exploring the next day. Dora was more reticent, preferring to stay by Anne's side, watching Anne talk with her pretty friend with wonder. She was _nothing_ like Mrs Wright!

When the evening grew long and the children were eventually sent to bed, Phil and Anne were able to talk quietly. "Honey, I have no words to tell you how relieved I was to hear that you were getting better." Phil said soberly. "Gilbert wrote to us as often as he could, and it was terrifying to open his letters- we never knew what he would tell us. And the very worst part was realising you'd been sick for quite some time, and none of us had noticed."

Anne gave her a slightly sad smile. "Even I didn't, Phil. Not until the end. If Gil hadn't heard about Timothy, it's likely he wouldn't have noticed either."

Phil sighed. "It's just as well that he did. I heard plenty of stories about people who didn't know until it was too late." She swallowed and gripped Anne's hand hard, before shaking her head and drawing in a steadying breath. She looked across at Anne then with a twinkle in her eye. "Well, you are looking a little thinner, Miss Shirley, but other than that you look quite robust for a recent invalid." At Anne's laugh, she continued. "Although that's a month of your life you'll never get back."

Anne smiled. "And as strange as it sounds, I wouldn't want to, either." she said softly.

"I suppose that's an " _all things work together for good_ " statement?" Phil said dryly. "Jo would quote that at me anytime I worried, until I was just about ready to _scream_. He was right, though." She laughed, as Gilbert and Jo stood talking in the doorway, and lowered her voice to talk to Anne in private. "I suppose if the good Mr Blythe was playing _doctor_ …" she said cheekily.

Anne couldn't suppress a grin. "Excuse me, Mrs Blake, I was delirious and wasting away to my very bones. I can assure you that there was precious little ' _playing_ '."

Phil sat back then, a slow smile crossing her pretty features. "Oh, I'm betting there was a little more than that." Anne's cheeks flushed a little, and she folded her arms defiantly, however, a traitorous grin did come to the surface.

"Phil, he was wonderful." Anne said finally, with a sigh. "He saw everything that was terrible- he saw me throw up, he saw how thin I became, he heard every little thing I said- and I can assure you that there was no filter." she added dryly. "But he hardly left the room for three weeks, and sometimes he talked to me and just held me. We're- somehow closer than we have ever been. The doctor said he did terribly well in caring for me, and thinks he will thrive at medical school."

Phil sighed. "I have no doubt of that, Anne. I'm just thankful it's over now- although I do hope someone goes to work to fatten you up a little, honey."

Anne protested at this. "Phil, don't _you_ start- I have everyone in Avonlea chasing me with food. I assure you that I am gaining weight- the doctor checks on me weekly."

"Good." Phil retorted. "Now, darling, you have been telling me about this town for the last four years- you must show me everything, dear. And I insist on finally meeting Diana. Stella and Priss have raved about her too, and I'm feeling quite left out."

Anne laughed. "We'll plan on all sorts of frivolities. And you'll love staying with the Blythes, they're wonderful."

When the gentlemen entered the room Gilbert's smile was knowing. He could see that Anne was tiring, but managing to cover it well. Within minutes he suggested that it was time to leave, and Phil and Jo were escorted out to the buggy with Mr and Mrs Blythe. Anne walked by Gilbert's side, her hand clasped in his.

"How long have you been planning this?" she asked him.

Gilbert's grin was easy. "Actually, Jo suggested it first, I just suggested that we keep it a surprise."

"You certainly did that." Anne sighed happily. "I thought it would be months until I would see them again- I'm so thankful that they could visit. Although when does your family arrive?"

He shrugged, as he watched Marilla come out with Phil's hat that she had misplaced. "On Monday, just after the Blakes leave. Probably even on the same train." He tucked her under his arm, bending to kiss her forehead. "Come to my house as early as you can tomorrow, sweetheart, we'll have the day together to go exploring then. And we're spending the day with the Wrights on Sunday."

Anne stood back, her mouth open. "Di knew as well?" she exclaimed.

He smiled. "She nearly leapt out of her chair when I said Phil and Jo were coming, actually. She insisted that we come immediately after the Sunday service. Mother wants you to come for dinner tomorrow evening, and says she will insist on you having a rest in the afternoon here." His eyes twinkled then, and he leant in close, seeing the others were talking unhurriedly at the buggy. "And since the newlyweds will be occupying the spare room, I assume you will need to use _my_ room for that."

Anne laughed, her cheeks warm. "Something tells me you will not be allowed anywhere nearby, dearest."

Gilbert snorted with laughter then. "To own the truth, I'll be lucky if mother allows me in the house yard at that point. Propriety has come back with a vengeance." He bent to kiss Anne goodbye then, and John Blythe laughed at Phil's teasing comments towards his son.

Anne stepped back and watched them drive away, her heart full. She felt an arm slip around her waist and turned to see Marilla watching her with a little smile.

"Are you pleased?" she asked knowingly.

Anne's smile was beaming, as the two of them turned to walk back to the house. "I can't imagine anything more delightful, Marilla. Phil is such a dear, and I have been wanting to introduce her to everyone at home for so long. I'm glad we have a few days to see them."

Marilla smiled dryly. "I rather feel _we_ won't see you that often this weekend, Anne."

Anne's look was chagrined. "I know. Gil felt that you had enough to deal with over the last few months to ask you to have them, especially when he and his mother stayed here for so long-"

Marilla shook her head, as she ushered her girl inside. "Gilbert already spoke to me about that." Marilla took off the apron she had been wearing with a sigh. "It's strange to say this, but I missed him when he went back home." She chuckled then at the heat that came to Anne's cheeks. "Not as much as you do though, I think. No, I think he will make an excellent son-in-law."

Anne beamed at the compliment, and Marilla kissed her on the forehead, holding her girl close for a moment. Anne had noticed her doing so more often now, although she wisely did nothing to draw her attention to the fact. Anne smiled to herself. She could see little ripples of change brought about by the illness they had all dreaded, unexpected sweetness and life that had come from so dark a season.

"You should head to bed, Anne, I don't want you getting worn out tomorrow." As Marilla released her with a gentle touch to her cheek she handed Anne a few letters. "Davy picked up the mail after he got you from the Wrights, you have one from Summerside."

Upstairs Anne readied herself for bed. As she shook her hair loose, she stood in front of her window in her light nightgown, looking at the moonlit fields she loved. The candle burned low in the little room, and she jumped into her white bed with only a little sigh for the empty chair by her bed. As she snuggled under the light blankets she reflected how lucky she was to be well enough to gad about as of old- with Gilbert only down the road, friends both near and far, and the family she loved sleeping safely under one roof. She read the vivacious letters from both Stella and Priscilla as she curled up on her pillows, the latter happily yielding to Anne's pleas to tell her what news she had from Mr Stevens. The newsy letters were then tucked away with a smile, and Anne sat a letter from Redmond aside to open the one from the board of the Summerside High School. Its tone banished her weariness and made her sit up quickly.

 _Dear Miss Shirley,_

 _In preparations for the school year to come, the board has been going through your paperwork and we have discovered that some papers were missing that require your signature to make your position assured. This error it seems occurred in the school offices, and we have subsequently dismissed the people responsible for this egregious oversight. We do apologise for the inconvenience this may cause you. One of our board members has business in Charlottetown on Monday the 26th of July, and we request that you arrange to meet him at the Carlton at precisely ten in the morning. We are sure that you do not wish to place your future with us in jeopardy_ , _and will make all due efforts to be there on time. Please ask for Mr James Pringle at the reception desk, he will see you at his convenience and has our approval to act as he sees necessary. We look forward to getting to know you a little more at the interview, and trust that the tremendous faith that has already been shown in you by the board is justified._

 _Cordially yours, etc._

 _Mr David Pringle, Dr Harmon Pringle, Mr Richard Anderson, Mr Leonard Pringle, Mr Jason Kingston and Mr James Pringle._

All sleepiness was gone from her now, and alert grey eyes had narrowed and turned surprisingly green in the low light. Anne sat up, looking at her reflection in the mirror opposite her bed, her chin held high.

"Well then, Miss Shirley." she remarked to her reflection in the looking glass on her wall. "It appears we have an appointment on Monday morning."


	41. Chapter 41, Possibilities

**Chapter 41**

When Gilbert opened the door shortly before eight the next morning, it was to greet a pale and unusually tense Anne. He pulled her to him, only nodding when she asked to speak to him in private. He led her past Cora, whose greeting fell flat at the sight of Anne's face, and took her out through the back door into Mrs Blythe's beloved flower garden to talk. Under the rose covered trellis that was her especial delight, Anne sat beside Gilbert on the little bench, handing him the letter from the school board to read.

Several minutes later, after a furious Gilbert had vented the best part of his ire to the back yard over the contents of the letter, Anne's sense of humour had reasserted itself. "Are you quite finished, beloved?"

He scowled at the letter in his hand, handing it back to her. "Not nearly. But tell me what you're thinking anyway."

Anne sighed, eying the paper with some distaste. "Well, I had assumed the position was decided with the signing of the contract- it could be that I don't have a job, Gil."

Gilbert frowned. "I'm beginning to worry about this school. Did you notice the signatures of the board members?"

Anne gave a wry chuckle. "Yes, four out of six of them are Pringles. I don't quite know what to make of that- and of _course_ it would be one of them whom I have to meet."

"So you and I going to Charlottetown on Monday with Phil and Jo." Gilbert stated, not leaving any room for argument.

Anne gave a little sigh. "Thank you. I'm sorry to make you go back there so soon, Gil-" he looked at her reprovingly, giving her a swift kiss on the forehead. "-However, dearest, I will be meeting with Mr Pringle on my own." She caught his concerned glance but shook her head with a steely expression. "He needs to understand that I am capable of handling the business myself."

Gilbert laughed at that. "He'll learn, sweetheart. Although if this letter is an example of how the school runs, I'm more than a little concerned about it." he added soberly.

"As am I." Anne looked at him then hesitantly.

He sat back from her, suddenly worried about what else she had to say. "Anne, what is it?"

She drew another letter out and handed it to him. "I- I didn't know quite what to do with this at first," she said softly. "Professor Trelor has recommended me for another position on the Island- however I couldn't consider it, as I was under contract. The only trouble is that I don't know whether I have a valid contract or not."

Gilbert's eyes were wide as he read the second letter, and he caught his breath. " _Anne_ -"

Her grey eyes met his wistfully. "I know."

He turned to kneel at her feet next to the bench, rubbing her arms gently. "You want this one, don't you, sweetheart?"

Anne's lips were trembling, and his heart melted to see the tears in her grey eyes. "I would be closer to you- and closer to home-"

Gilbert's hands framed her face, and he pulled her towards him, gently caressing her lips with his own, until he could feel the tension leaving her body. He rested his head against hers and sighed. "Alright. We are going to have a wonderful weekend with those we love, and then we are going to go to Charlottetown on Monday to see about these letters," he said firmly, and then grinned. "Now, do you think Marilla will allow me to be your only escort to town?"

Anne laughed, turning to nestle into his arms. "She used to allow me to go to concerts and dances with you all over the countryside when I was just seventeen, Gil- I think it will be fine. It's not as if we'll be away overnight."

"I could only wish." Gilbert muttered with a little grin. He rose to his feet then and pulled her into his arms, one hand cradling her red head to his chest protectively. He turned then to see his mother and Phil watching them from the kitchen window, and chuckled. "I think we're about to have some questions, sweetheart. Are you ready to meet the righteous indignation parade?"

Anne laughed. "Better now than later. And at least we can escort Phil and Jo back to town personally."

* * *

Over the breakfast table the six adults discussed the Summerside letter and its possible ramifications. Cora passed Anne another cup of tea, sneakily placing an extra pastry onto the side of her plate. "Anne, dear, what will it mean if the Summerside position does fall through?"

Anne gave her future mother-in-law a half-hearted smile. "Well, I would need to find another position quickly- however most schools will already have their staff in place for the coming year. And it may be I need to travel further to look for work." Gilbert looked at her curiously, until he saw the barely perceptible shake of her head. He let out a breath, understanding that until she had something more to go on, she wished to stay silent about the other letter. Instead, he took her hand in his.

"We'll just have to see what's around that bend in the road," he said lightly. "Something good will come of this."

Phil's indignation at the slight to Anne knew no bounds, and her comments made John chuckle as she and Gilbert continued to discuss the wording of the letter from the school board, with the milder Jo offering a more sanguine interpretation. Eventually, Cora rose to begin to clear the table. Gilbert sensed that Anne still needed a little time to think, and took Phil and Jo outside to see the barn, teasing Phil the whole way about only knowing in theory where eggs came from. Anne had been idly staring into the distance as they left, still holding the dainty teacup in her hands. Cora took her empty plate from her, pausing to brush her shoulder with a gentle hand.

"It really will work out, dear." she said gently, and Anne came to with a sigh.

"I know. Thank you."

She stood then, beginning to assist Cora, and at the kitchen window the two of them saw Phil dart behind a laughing Jo from the hen that Gilbert was solemnly trying to introduce her to. They watched as he teased her, and Anne was startled to see Cora watching Phil with a wistful expression on her face.

"You know, I always imagined that Charlotte would be like that." Anne's eyes were huge, and Cora turned to her with a little smile. "She was such a lively little girl, with the same brown curls that Gilbert has." Her hands shook as she folded the towel in her hand. "We- we were in New Brunswick when she suddenly took ill. Her grave is there." Cora drew in a deep breath, watching Phil with a smile. "Charlotte would have been almost two years older than Gilbert. I think he would have liked to have had a sister."

Anne drew in a deep breath, wiping the tear from her cheek. She turned to put her arms around Cora tightly, who smiled as she held her. "Oh, Anne, it's so lovely to be reminded of her again. Philippa is precious."

Anne chuckled, as Cora hunted for her handkerchief. "Phil is almost like a sister to him now, Mrs Blythe. You should have seen the two of them at Redmond together. I did hear that the Mathematics professor threatened to separate them at one point."

Cora began to laugh. "Oh dear- was this in your freshman year?"

Anne's grey eyes twinkled. "Actually, I believe it was two weeks before we graduated."

* * *

When the two women were finished cleaning up, Anne could hear the happy sound of conversation coming from the barn, and John Blythe's deep laugh. Inside Mrs Blythe had begun packing the picnic the four of them would be taking to Hester Gray's garden, and Anne had been sent out to rest a little before they were to go. As she watched the sunlight moving through the trees in the orchard, she sighed and closed her eyes. She was at home, and well again- and darling Phil was here for a few days. She could read the happiness on her friend's face, and loved watching the gentle way Jo cared for his new wife. Cora had insisted on the Green Gables folk coming for dinner that night with their guests, much to the twins delight- Davy had been most irate about missing out on the outing that day.

Half an hour later Anne felt a hand on her arm, and opened her eyes to see Gilbert's amused smile close to where her head lay, and Phil and Jo sitting on the steps watching them with concerned faces. Anne smiled sheepishly as she sat up, and Gilbert turned to Phil with a grin as he sat beside her.

"She will keep doing this," he teased. "I'm starting to take it personally."

Phil's face relaxed, and she smiled at Anne. "Do you still get tired, honey?"

"Oh, it's getting so much better now- although I am forced to nap daily by Marilla and Gilbert's mother," Anne said dryly. She smiled then, taking Gilbert's hand. "Are we ready to go?" He nodded, pulling her to her feet, and holding her closely for a moment.

Jo had been watching Gilbert, and couldn't help but see the change in him. There was concern on his face, yes; but the soul-crushing fear that he had seen Gilbert walking with before the wedding had gone. He smiled to himself, taking Phil's hand in his. "Where are we going exactly?"

"To one of our haunts," Gilbert said easily. "It's quite a walk to get there, but the garden is well worth the wait."

There was a smile on Gilbert's face as he saw Anne grab Phil's hand, and wave blithely goodbye to his mother, who handed the baskets to Jonas and Gilbert. They left the front gate chattering merrily, and Jo shook his head as he followed Gilbert.

"You know, it's hard to believe she was even ill." he said quietly. "It's quite the miracle."

Gilbert laughed. "Oh, believe it. I'm sure it shaved a few years off my life," he said dryly. He grinned at Jo. The girls had vanished, and Jo looked around him in surprise.

"How did they do that?" he asked, puzzled. "Shouldn't they wait for us?"

Gilbert took up the basket he was carrying and grinned as they walked out of the front gate. "They're fine. I think the only one who knows these woods as well as Anne does is me- and she won't get too far ahead of us. She'll be taking the time to smell the roses."

* * *

A rejuvenated Anne was dancing down the narrow pathways, making Phil laugh with her chatter.

"Phil, darling, these trees have grown so tall since I was here last! The canopy never used to meet overhead on this path. In the wintertime it's just as lovely, and in the fall- well, that's lovely too."

"Anne Shirley, I have rarely seen you like this! You have more energy than I do." a bewildered Phil said, as she ducked under a low hanging branch.

"You've never seen me in my home, Phil," Anne said cheekily. "And to me, these woods are as much my home as Green Gables is. Oh, look- the star flowers are everywhere this summer!"

Phil looked around her. "I've never been near so much of the outdoors." she said dryly. "And you spent your childhood getting lost in these places?"

Anne laughed, her hand brushing the smooth, white bark of a birch tree. "Well, since I was eleven. Marilla didn't quite know what to do with me, so she encouraged my exploring- as long as I was safe and sensible."

Phil snorted. "And how did you manage that?"

"Oh, not well- although I was usually safe," Anne with a good-natured shrug. " _Sensible_ was really asking too much of me."

Phil sighed, looking around and enjoying the lush green of the woods. "It is lovely out here. What did you and Gilbert do outside when you were younger?" She narrowed her eyes and grinned cheekily at her friend. "Notice that I'm not asking you what you do out here _now_ , Miss Anne."

Anne's eyes twinkled. "Oh, we would study out here, and talk, and argue- sometimes all three- and we would explore. We both had a habit of searching for hidden nooks and crannies- when we joined forces, there wasn't really a corner we didn't discover." Anne smiled as she heard Gilbert and Jo laughing on the path behind them, and pointed at a slope through the trees. "The fence for Mr Bell's pasture is through that grove- and he has the most wonderful wild strawberries in his fields. We climb over a part of his field to get to Hester's garden."

Phil protested, her hands on her hips. "Oh, no- climbing is not a part of the bargain, Anne-"

The boys came up behind them then, and Anne waltzed to the stile airily. "Darling, it's as easy as pie."

Phil shook her brown curls at her mischievous friend with a scowl. "' _Pi_ ' I understand; tree climbing I do not."

Gilbert grinned as he placed the basket over, and leapt over it himself. "It's not tree climbing, Phil. Come on."

Anne stepped easily up the steps, and let out a cry of surprise when Gilbert swept her into his arms, placing a triumphant kiss on her lips. "I've always wanted to do that, Anne-girl. You would never let me help you over that before." Her smile was brilliant as he set her on the ground, and laughing, she turned back to encourage a grumbling Phil.

"You know I'm not being a princess, I just don't get lost in the woods on a regular basis." she said caustically.

"Did you ever actually get lost?" Jo asked, once they were all on the other side and walking down the fern lined pathway.

Anne looked at Gilbert thoughtfully. "Perhaps once?"

"I knew where we were; I told you that then," Gilbert said flatly, making Phil laugh. "We were in the middle of a blazing row-"

"About using the Reformed method of teaching modern languages to students-" Anne added.

Phil looked at Jonas, mystified. "Well, of _course_ you were."

"And we were too busy arguing to notice it growing dark." He laughed, remembering. "When we finally found a fence line to follow we ended up in Rachel Lynde's back yard."

"Who promptly scolded us for being tardy and irresponsible," Anne said matter-of-factly. She turned around then as they came to the little valley of firs, and with a bright look ran up the slope that opened out into the beautiful garden she remembered.

The garden was a paradise of morning sunshine, and Anne stood still, breathing in the scent of the sea, the fields and the flowers. Jonas and Phil had moved to look in undisguised delight at the pretty scene, and Gilbert slipped his arms around Anne's waist with a contented sigh. "We made it, sweetheart." he said with a grin. "A little later in the summer than we wanted, but we made it."

Anne turned in his arms, her eyes tender. Her arms slid around his neck and she pulled herself up on her toes to kiss him. When she pulled away it was with a big smile. "And that's something else we can check off our list."

Momentarily forgetting the presence of the others, Gilbert's hand was on her cheek, his thumb gently caressed her skin. "I nearly kissed you so many times here before, you know."

Anne laughed, stepping away to pull him deeper into the garden. "Well, you can make up for it now, dearest. Although Phil and Jo may not care to be present for that-"

Gilbert nudged her, seeing the pair themselves in a sweet embrace, standing amongst the old pathways of what was once the rose garden. Anne's glance at him was loving, and she picked up the basket that Jo had abandoned. Together they walked to the old cherry trees, the leaves blowing in the fragrant breeze. Anne looked around her, listening to the sound of the breakers on the distant shore with a smile. To this spot they had often come to study, to read and to dream together- never had they been here though, as they were now. As she shook out the blanket Gilbert dropped to her side, loosening his blue tie carelessly. His gaze was warm, and as Anne caught his eyes, she flushed, making him laugh.

"I do love it when you do that, sweetheart."

She chuckled, raising a hand to her suddenly warm cheek. "I suppose it's left over from old times- we've never been here together before. And yet we should be a staid engaged couple by now- the days of blushing and self-consciousness should be over." she teased. Gilbert's arms were tight around her, and his eyes were twinkling.

"We'll never be that, Anne." He grinned, looking at Phil and Jo walking towards them. "And as much as I love the two of them, I do wish we were alone right now-" he said mischievously and chuckled, seeing the blush deepen on Anne's face. "I want us to say goodbye here when we go."

Anne pulled back from him then, her face puzzled. "Gil, I thought you were seeing me to Summerside-"

"If that's where you're going, Anne-girl, I will. But our proper- and _private_ \- goodbye should be here." Gilbert's tone was unmistakable, and Anne cupped his face in her hands to kiss him.

"We will, love."

He grinned, pulling away to grab the other basket. "I love it when you call me that."

Phil dropped to her knees beside Anne with a sigh. "When you are _quite_ finished-" she said drolly, pulling a laugh from the pair. "Anne, this is the most adorable place I've ever been- I would come to the island just to see it. I can see why you spent so much time here."

Anne looked around her, her eyes bright. "It's lovely in every season- Priss was with us when we found it one spring."

"You know that if you'd forgiven me earlier you would have found it earlier." Gilbert pointed out, earning an exasperated look from his fiancee that made him chuckle.

"You do so love to point that out," Anne muttered, rolling her eyes.

Cora had packed the baskets to overflowing, and the four of them sat feasting on the food, the scenery and the company. When everyone had eaten enough and the gentlemen had gone down to the brook to see if there were any fish, Anne and Phil sat talking on the blanket, laughing and discussing the past four years together. In a little lull in the conversation, Anne gave a tremendous sigh.

"I'm so glad you came here, Phil."

Phil shot Anne a glance with a big smile. "You really gave me no choice, honey- I needed to see for myself that you were better. And I think Stella and Priss are looking in sometime in the next few weeks, as well." Phil chuckled. "After all, you may belong to Gil and Green Gables now, but you've been _ours_ to look after for the last three years." she said comfortably, "We're family."

Anne took Phil's hand in her own, squeezing it lovingly, before holding it up to look at the precious golden band in the sunlight. She looked at Phil's contented face, her eyes twinkling. "So how is married life?"

Phil laughed. " _Delicious_ , oh future-Mrs-Blythe."

"So all the things you were worried about-"

Phil closed her eyes with a smile, putting her hands behind her head. "I don't know how you do it, Anne, but you were perfectly right- it really was about trust. And I knew that of course I _could_."

Anne sighed. "I'm so glad, Phil. What has it all been like?"

Phil's look was dreamy. "Oh, we have a funny old time playing house- I still haven't figured out the stove yet, and Jo is very tactful about the meals I make- I keep waking up in the night with a start if poor Jo makes any noise at all- I scared him terribly, at first- and whenever I hear someone call for Mrs Blake, I completely forget that they would be talking to me." Her crooked smile was huge, as she looked at Anne. "And for the rest, it's simply- blissful."

Anne gave a big sigh, her gaze distant. Phil was quick to see that and rose up on one elbow to grasp her hand again. "Sweetie, how long were we at college?"

"Four years."

"And how fast did that seem to go?"

Anne sat up, crossing her legs under her skirts with a little smile, and turning her face into the warm breeze. "Like we said at graduation- like a watch in the night."

Phil sat up as well, pushing her curls behind one ear. "And so will the next three years. That's how long we were at Patty's Place, honey- and I remember us moving in there like it was yesterday. It's not so long."

Anne's look was wistful. "Unless you're counting it with a heart away from its home." Anne sighed and then suddenly smiled, her chin coming up. "However, you're right, Phil- it will pass. And I know that we can do this, no matter where I find work. We just have to wait and see." Anne said practically. "I suppose a good deal depends on whether or not my original contract is valid."

Phil snorted. "Stella and I looked it over after you signed it, Anne, you know that it is. However, if they are calling it and you into question, perhaps it's better if it simply vanishes."

Anne laughed and jumped up from the blanket then. "Well, I won't dwell on such things today, in any event. We have you until Monday morning, and I am determined to enjoy it to the fullest."

* * *

The four of them spent the next few hours relaxing together in the sunshine, and exploring the hidden corners of the garden; finding things that were new to even Anne and Gilbert since they had last been there. Lilac branches pushing their way up from behind the crumbling wall, bees lazily buzzed around the overgrown lilies of the valley, and a pair of doves cooed in a nearby birch. Jo took Phil down to the creek to see the little minnows they had found, before returning to find Gilbert chasing a laughing Anne through the old rose beds, a wreath of the late summer flowers in her red curls. Deciding to give the pair some privacy, a smiling Jo pulled his bride over to the seclusion and shade of the cherry trees, that blew merrily in the sweet breeze. The creek burbled happily in amongst the ferns, with the little sparrows ducking in the water and strutting across the mossy stones, making them all laugh. At last, when the sun was high in the sky, the four of them followed its twists and turns back through the woods and towards the Blythe homestead, enjoying the perfect day in the sunshine together.

Cora met them at the door, exclaiming over the flowers that they had brought back from the old garden. She made Phil laugh with the way she bustled around putting them into vases, giving instructions to everyone and shooing Anne lovingly towards Gilbert's room for a rest. He had seen her go with a smile, not daring to go near the staircase under his parent's watchful eyes, and doing his best to ignore the smirk on Jo and Phil's faces. Unaccustomed to the long walk of the morning, Phil had yawned until she too was protestingly turned towards the spare room. Soon, Gilbert found himself in the sitting room alone, as Phil had gone out to see the young calves being brought in from the fields with Mr Blythe. Jo had grown up in the countryside and was easily able to converse about comparable methods of farming with Gilbert's father.

Gilbert stretched out on the sofa, his mind working busily as it had done since that morning. The letter from Summerside had taken him by surprise- and yet he'd never felt at ease about her going there. It wasn't his to question, and so he hadn't- unless Anne herself had misgivings. She had never mentioned any. He'd written his own off, in fact, as his own reluctance to part from her. She did need to take a position, and by far it was the best one of those that had been offered.

Now, however, he wondered.

An hour and a short snooze later, he heard a light step come down the staircase and smiled. He could tell that it was her. He was unsurprised when Anne's red head peeped around the corner, and her grey eyes were sparkling as she came into the room on stockinged feet. He chuckled, wondering if her shoes were still in his bedroom. He took in the pretty green dress she wore, the shorter puffed sleeves drawing his eyes to her slender, pale arms.

"I didn't know you brought another dress over." he said, his look expressive.

Anne's throaty laugh made him shiver slightly. "You never noticed that I brought a bag with me this morning, dearest?"

"No, _you_ were there."

He grinned and tugged on her hands to pull her closer, noticing the flush on her cheeks, and her slight hesitation.

"Gil, anyone could come in." she said softly, echoing her own words from the wedding. His only answer was to raise one eyebrow, waiting only for her to smile blissfully and to let herself be pulled down to rest on his chest, and there he kissed her unhurriedly. They remained talking for several minutes in this way, until they heard voices in the kitchen and Anne sat up beside him, her cheeks warm. Remembering her earlier comment, Gilbert grinned. He hoped she would always blush- just a little, for him.

"I found a rather surprising letter under my pillow- or _yours_ , dearest." she said, her cheeks still pink, making Gilbert laugh.

"I was hoping you would find that," he said with a roguish grin. "You know, just in case mother decided to change the sheets again. I'd really rather she _didn't_ since you've been in there."

Anne laughed. "You're quite safe- and as it had my name on it, I had no intention of leaving it there. Will you write to me like that when I'm far away?" she asked tenderly.

Gilbert's eyes softened, and he kissed her firmly. "All the time."

They jumped back slightly as they heard Cora walking through the kitchen, her voice a pitch above normal. "Yes, John dear. I'm going into the sitting room now, and we will have tea soon. Doesn't that sound nice?"

The two of them began to laugh at the slightly strained voice from his mother, and turned to see her enter the room, her face giving no indication that she had expected to see them jumping apart. This announcing of entering the room had begun only a few weeks ago when Anne had been recovering at Green Gables- even the least observant of people could see the closeness between the pair, and Cora had no intention of walking in on anything she didn't wish to observe. She smiled at the pair of them fondly, and soon a more rested Phil and Jo entered the room. As Cora served the tea Anne held in a secret smile, hoping indeed that Mrs Blythe would not be changing the sheets immediately. She'd written a letter of her own in reply, and not one she wished her future mother in law to open by accident.

* * *

The next day found Anne, Gilbert, Jo and Phil sitting in the Wright's cosy home, with an excited Diana who was almost back to full strength and a baby now sleeping for several consecutive hours through the night. She settled her guests in the squashy armchairs, adjusting the cushions behind Anne carefully. Phil was in the chair next to Diana, and the women were chattering amiably about Phil's wedding and life in the Patterson Street parish. The gentlemen had hustled them to the sitting room, offering to clean up after their luncheon and bringing in a wakeful baby Fred, his father casually plopping the infant into Anne's waiting arms.

"Of course you couldn't sleep, little one! You just wanted to cuddle with Aunt Anne, didn't you, darling?" she cooed, sending a wink to Gilbert, who was standing in the doorway. He came in with a huge grin, coming close to kiss her and to place his hand on baby Fred's small head.

Diana watched the pair of them with a smile, turning to Phil with a wicked look. "Aren't they just adorable?" she commented, perfectly clearly. "Phil, you must tell me what they were like at college together."

Gilbert met Anne's look in consternation, and he soon followed a grinning Jo and Fred from the room, the latter of whom laughed and slapped Gilbert on the back. Anne's cheeks were rosy, and she shot the girls a cross look. Phil laughed.

"Well, Diana, I was ready to strangle them after your wedding last year," Phil said blithely. "I had to watch them dance around each other with their feelings for months- all of the 'does he or she/ doesn't he or she-'"

"Does she or doesn't she?" Diana exclaimed. " _Gil_ spoke to you too?" Not just Anne?"

Phil smiled knowingly at a surprised Anne. "He most certainly did. I think we'd only been back at Redmond for a few days when he first told me- you were still in your hysterical phase, if I remember correctly."

Anne's cheeks flushed, having not known that small piece of information. She scowled at her angelic looking friends, talking to the baby on her lap. "Your mother is being led astray, little man."

Diana's look was cheeky, seeing Anne's red face. "Poor old Gil! Of course he needed someone, Phil." She chuckled, throwing Anne a dimpled smile. "I'll bet the tension between them was unbearable at times. I would have given _anything_ to see that-"

"And when they did get together we kept coming across them in various _private_ moments all over the place-"

Anne protested at this. "Oh, Phil, now this really isn't fair- and may I add, I have watched the two of you both fall in love as well. It wasn't always easy, was it?"

Diana laughed. "No, dearest, it certainly wasn't. And you must know how happy we are for you."

Phil's brown eyes twinkled. "We certainly are. And by the way, Mrs Wright, may I congratulate you on your wonderful letter- Stella, Priss and I agreed that it was practically perfect."

Anne rolled her eyes, knowing that the two of them were bound to have this conversation.

"Oh, if you knew how I worried about that letter," Diana said with a giggle. "Anne, you know how many times I asked you of you felt anything for him, and how many times you told me that you _didn't_."

"And me," Phil said, sobering. "Only I didn't say it as graciously as you did, I'm afraid."

Anne looked up from where baby Fred's little fingers were curling around her own and felt a rush of affection for the two girls, and for Stella and Priscilla. For knowing her better than she had known herself- for the love and acceptance, the hours of laughter and togetherness.

"It was all necessary, Phil- and I know that I needed it," she said, her eyes loving. "Love tells the truth, after all- even when it hurts."

Phil's smile was warm. "You know we needed you too, sweetie." She turned to Diana with a laugh. "I was a complete mess before my wedding- my mother was running everything, and I wasn't able to see Jo-"

"And me as well-" Diana chimed in. "I kept telling Anne that I was going to faint before the ceremony."

The two of them laughed, and Anne gave them an impertinent look.

"Good. Then the two of you will know just how to handle _me_ in three years time."

* * *

Later that evening, Gilbert drove Anne home through the sunset, after a quiet supper with his family. They would be leaving early the next morning to have Phil and Jo in Charlottetown in time for the ferry, and in time for Anne's appointment. She rested her head on his shoulder, dreamily watching the rising of the new moon.

"Do you think they will be alright on the ferry?" she asked suddenly. "It's such a long trip for them-"

Gilbert chuckled. "They crossed it to get here, Anne-girl. And we've made that journey over a dozen times."

Anne frowned. "Well, we're from here, Gil," she argued warmly. "We know where to go."

Gilbert squeezed her hand. "That's why I met them in Charlottetown, and we're escorting them right back there tomorrow. They will be fine." He hesitated for a moment, before bending down to look at her. "I really don't think that is what's worrying you, sweetheart."

Anne's serious grey eyes looked out over the quiet fields for long minutes. "I may not have a job, tomorrow," she said slowly.

"Or you might have _two_."

She chuckled. "It's possible- although I am obligated to go with my first offer, in that case." She gave a little sigh, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "I can't simply sit around here in Avonlea."

He gave her a curious look. "I never supposed that was an option for you."

"Oh, it was something Marilla said- that she was worried about me going away so soon after- well, you know. She wondered if I could teach in one of the local district schools, and even suggested that I simply stay at home for a few months here recovering." Gilbert's brows rose, and she met his eyes apologetically. "I know that she wants me close- and I want so badly to promise that I will be home quite often on the weekends. But I may need to look further afield for work."

"I take it you didn't tell her about Charlottetown."

Anne shook her head. "No. Maybe after tomorrow, I'll know a little more." His arm slipped comfortingly around her shoulders, and she nestled close to him. After a moment, she spoke with unexpected passion. "I couldn't just stay here while you are away working for our future. I would go out of my mind."

Gilbert laughed. "Anne, Marilla knows you. She knows you won't stay. She's missed you, but she would never hold you back, even if she wished she could. It's what parents do."

Anne smiled sadly. "Like your mother wishes that you would stay here."

Gilbert pulled into the yard of Green Gables and came around to assist Anne down from the buggy. He stood there in the dimness under the old trees, holding her to him comfortingly. Eventually, he pulled away, caressing her cheek with gentle fingers.

"Sweetheart, Marilla understands that you will go wherever you need to. No matter where it is, it will be alright. I know that you and I have been away from our families for four years, and even when the next three years are done, we still don't know where we will be." he said softly. "They blessed us by releasing us then- but I promise that you and I will make it up to them one day." He put his arms around her waist, smiling at the way her hands travelled up to run across his shoulders. "We'll give them grandchildren they will adore- a home all of our own where they can visit us, and of course we will naturally come back here quite often."

Anne chuckled. "And just how can you know that we will do that, Mr Blythe?"

There was a grin on his face as he stooped to kiss her cheek, his breath warm against her ear. "Because it's our home and I want our children to know it-" he moved his lips to the soft place under her ear, smiling as she gave an involuntary sigh- "Because our families and friends are here- because we know every nook and cranny within ten miles of our homes-" his seeking lips found the little hollow in her throat, and Anne's hands moved lazily through his thick, brown curls. "And the most _important_ reason is that there are places here that I am longing to take my _wife_. And we know where to go so that no one will be able to find us." He pulled away slightly, his eyes twinkling at her. "If that's not a good enough reason for coming back here when we're married, Anne, then I don't know what is."


	42. Chapter 42, The Pringle Complication

**Chapter 42**

When Gilbert came to pick up Anne the next morning, she came down the stairs of Green Gables with a big smile. She was carefully dressed in her mint green travelling suit, a smart satchel in her hand. Over the top of Davy's protests, Gilbert kissed her once she reached the bottom step.

"Urgh! You know I haven't had my breakfast yet," Davy grumbled, his wide mouth curling into a wicked grin. He darted off to avoid his hair from being ruffled, and Gilbert turned to Anne, his eyes twinkling. "I can't wait until he's ready to start courting. I'm going to have some fun then."

Anne chuckled, taking his hand to walk into the bustling kitchen. Mrs Lynde was giving Jo advice about managing sea sickness on the boat over a pot of porridge, and Phil was talking animatedly with Marilla and Dora at the table, a little posy of flowers in the centre placed by Dora' careful hand. Anne smiled, looking at the subtle changes in the family since her illness- Mrs Lynde no longer had breakfast in her rooms, something they had stopped in the long hours spent nursing. Phil was complimenting Dora on her little housewifely touches, and to Anne's slight astonishment, Dora was talking back! She chuckled and thought that only Phil could produce that effect, not realising that the change in Dora over the summer had more to do with her own presence, and the hours spent coaxing the girl to talk in the bedroom while she lay recovering.

Marilla rose to greet the young pair, looking Anne's travelling outfit over. "Very neat," she commented, her smile fond. "Now, do you have all of the paperwork that you need?"

Anne nodded. "I do."

Marilla's gaze was piercing. "And mind you don't start jumping through their hoops just to placate them- no job is worth that." She sighed and turned to Gilbert. "Now, what time should I expect the two of you home?" Gilbert met Anne's eyes, hoping for a clue on how to respond. She smiled at him. "Well, we have some other errands to run while we are in town, and aren't sure yet how long that will take. I should imagine we would be home well before supper time, though."

The family walked the young people out to the waiting buggy, and within minutes they were on their way. As they turned onto the Newbridge Road, Phil gave a big sigh. "Well, I can understand why you prefer to belong to the Island over Nova Scotia, Anne. Your home town is lovely."

Anne laughed. "Well, I have been to your home twice now, so it is only fair that you come to mine. And at _my_ home, there are no appointments with stylists- and no need for a timetable."

Phil shuddered. "Oh, don't remind me, honey- I'm still trying to forget Mother's wedding schedules."

The drive and subsequent train ride in pleasant company seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and at half past nine Anne and Gilbert stood at the front of the busy steamer office to say goodbye. Over the shrill whistle and distant chug of the boats on the harbour, Phil gave Anne a big squeeze.

"Honey, I'm so glad we came- and not just because I got to miss the annual general meeting of the Ladies Quilting Society," she said impishly. "Let us know what happens today, and remember that you don't need to apologise for their oversight. Don't let them hand you the responsibility for that. Neither do you need to beg for a job you were selected for above all of the other candidates."

"I won't." Anne laughed, releasing her to turn and give Jonas a hug as well. "Jo, thank you," she said softly. "I can't tell you how wonderful it has been to see you both."

He gave her a gentle smile that became a chuckle as Phil threw her arms around Gilbert, making him laugh at her exuberance. "We'll see you in just a few weeks, Gil. Remember, you have a standing appointment with us on Friday nights. Come and see us as soon as you get to Kingsport."

He gave her a big grin and was startled when her face became serious. "Please thank your parents again for having us, we had a wonderful time with your family." She tipped her head on one side, her brown curls moving in the cool breeze from the waterfront. "You know, it's funny- it almost looked like your mother recognised me when we stepped off the boat here the other day."

Anne's look was loving. "She knows a kindred spirit when she sees one, Phil. She loved you."

Another minute and the call was made for them to board the boat. After final hugs and handshakes and promises to write, they watched their friends board the boat that she and Gilbert had sailed on so many times before, the same one Gilbert would be boarding in a little over a month. With a glance at his pocket watch, he gave Anne a swift kiss on the forehead and turned her towards the main street.

The Carlton Hotel sat at the top of the road, within an easy walking distance. Gilbert held Anne's hand tightly in his as they passed countless people on the street, his glance rigid. Anne looked at him, hating the concern she saw on his face. It would always be this way, she thought wistfully. Whatever affected her would affect him in turn. When at last they reached the elegant doors to the fashionable establishment, Gilbert pulled his watch from his pocket and sighed in relief.

"We made it with ten minutes to spare. Now, you have your copy of the contract and the letter?"

"Yes, and my references."

Gilbert scowled at that. "Anne, the job is yours already, don't let this Pringle fellow brow-beat you into interviewing again. And if he does-"

Anne put up her hand to stop him, her grey eyes stern. "Darling, please, no more advice."

" _Anne_ -"

" _No_ , Gil." She put her gloved hand to his cheek, regardless of the curious glances at them from passers-by. She held his worried gaze evenly. "I already have everyone's advice on how to handle this, but at the end of the day, I need to act as I see fit. As far as I am concerned, I am here as the principal of the Summerside High School, until I am told otherwise. And they will either deal with me as such, or they won't."

Gilbert gave a sigh of surrender. "Alright. I just don't want you to be bullied."

Anne looked at him candidly. "I don't either. But neither am I fleeing at the first sign of trouble. You know these institutions, Gil; where there are people, there are politics. If I want to run a school I have to be able to handle it."

Gilbert grinned. "I would love to witness you taking this fellow on, sweetheart. I could almost pity him."

Anne laughed. "I rather think that if you were there, you wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise." She tipped her nose up impertinently. "You'd simply throttle him at the first sign of trouble. No, it's better that he doesn't see how outrageously protective my fiance is."

He laughed, taking her hand in his. "Alright. I'll come for you at eleven; if you're not down here I'll wait in the lobby."

"And what will you do in the meantime?" she asked, intrigued.

"Oh, I ordered some medical textbooks that weren't in the shop on Thursday. I'll see if they've come in yet, and check on my other orders as well."

Anne's look was bewildered. "Gil, you already have the textbooks that you'll need!"

He shrugged as if the answer was obvious. "Well, I've _finished_ those ones."

He kissed her hand in farewell and winked. Anne laughed, and when he turned from her she watched his long, confident stride move down the street admiringly. She drew in a deep breath and spun on her heel then, her red head held high as she stepped inside the glamorous building.

* * *

At precisely twenty-five minutes past ten, a stiff young man from the reception desk crossed to the young woman he had directed to a chair almost half an hour ago. He announced that Mr James Pringle was waiting in the Glasshouse tearoom, and would she please follow him promptly.

Anne rose to her feet and followed him down the spacious halls, looking with curiosity at the depictions of battlegrounds and various stern looking gentlemen. These had to do with the history of the hotel, she assumed. As she approached the glass, silver handled doors, she lifted her chin, her eyes glimmering greenly.

If they insisted on a battle, then she was ready.

She was led through the white covered tables, every surface gleaming with silver flatware and crystal water glasses. The overall brightness of the room with its large windows was fairly dizzying- Anne was sure that if she closed her eyes, that the room would be imprinted onto her eyelids. Mr James Pringle was seated at a table in the centre of the room, the glass jug of water sparkling in the sunshine. The gentleman's balding head and waxed moustache also shone, and Anne worked to remain sober as she studied him. He did not look up immediately, writing slowly and carefully in a small black notebook, his papers laid out in perfect angles to each other. When the concierge cleared his throat he laid his pen down in the crease of the book, giving an unconvincing start at the sight of Anne.

"Why, can this be Miss Shirley?" he said, his voice politely incredulous. He took the hand she offered in both of his own in a fatherly manner, before she was seated in in the chair the waiter held out for her. "My apologies, my dear. I was not expecting someone so- _young_."

Anne studied his eyes, seeing something else underneath the warm manner he was working to exude. He was covering it nicely, however there was a calculating look in his eye that she immediately noted.

 _Interesting_.

She smiled, settling herself against the back of the chair easily. "Mr Pringle, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you, Miss Shirley." He sat silently while the waiter meticulously poured water into his glass, and took a long sip. Anne repressed the urge to roll her eyes at his delaying tactics, and drew in a quiet breath. He could spin this out for as long as he chose- she would simply wait.

When he was quite ready, adjusting the lay of the papers and of the glass, he folded his hands together and studied the young woman before him. _Young_ , he thought. _Malleable_?

"I was quite surprised to receive the letter from the board on Friday." Anne began, diplomatically. "I understood from my correspondence that all of the necessary paperwork was sent to me at the time, and that upon signing the job was confirmed."

He seemed to shift in his seat a little at that, and bestowed her with a smile. "You must appreciate that we are as inconvenienced by this as you yourself may be, Miss Shirley."

Anne's voice was pleasant. "Certainly. If you have the required papers at hand, I see no reason why this matter shouldn't be settled immediately." She didn't miss the sharp look he gave her through his white eyebrows, and the way his fingertips steepled themselves on the table before him.

"In view of the administrative lapses that have occurred in recent times, some of the board have felt that our hiring procedure deserves to be examined," he said slowly. "Your predecessor was, to put it bluntly, a- _disappointment_. Lacking the skills to manage the classroom, to maintain discipline- perhaps too young to oversee the education of our best and brightest."

Anne's foot twitched under the immaculate tablecloth. "And yet you must agree that I am _not_ my predecessor."

"No, Miss Shirley," he admitted, the fatherly smile back in evidence. "And yet some of us on the board feel that we need to learn from the mistakes of the past, and examine our candidates more _stringently_."

Anne's face remained calm. "And what of the already signed papers? Do they not constitute a binding contract?"

The gentleman tapped his pen on the papers before him, his glance open. "As they are not complete, I don't believe they do. However, we now have the opportunity to conduct a personal interview with you, and as a result, I have been empowered to act as I see fit. I trust that in a very short time we will have the answers we require, and that the board will have the leisure to deliberate."

Ann's lips thinned. "Mr Pringle, the school term begins in exactly four weeks- you are leaving neither the board or myself with much time to decide."

"Would you have us make a snap judgment, Miss Shirley?"

With an effort, Anne kept her voice even. "I cannot believe that the board selected me as a candidate lightly, Mr Pringle. To do so there must have been a majority to decide in my favour, and this was offered several months ago. I find it difficult to believe that cold feet could affect so large a portion of the vote since that moment. What else does the board wish to know about my application?"

He studiously wrote in his little book for a moment, the silence deafening. "You, Miss Shirley. You might have spent time in a home county classroom, and demonstrated an ability to impress your professors at college, however, this tells us nothing of your character. We wish to know more about you."

Anne folded her hands on the table before her, her green eyes steady. "Certainly. What do you wish to know?"

For the next ten minutes, Anne was asked to describe her schooling and academic career, and her relationship to those who had written references for her. To her surprise, she was told that the board had been informed of her adoptive state, and to this Anne's eyebrows shot up, her voice disquietingly calm. Gilbert could have warned the man he was playing with fire, however, the eminent Mr Pringle had no such knowledge and continued smoothly.

"I was not aware that the board wished to know those facts about my life."

Mr Pringle smiled broadly. "Come now, Miss Shirley. In the modern age there are no secrets. For example, you yourself were not adopted until you were nearly eleven years old, despite being orphaned before you were one. Is there a reason why it took so long?"

Anne's patience was rapidly wearing thin. "Sir, to those who have earned the right to know about my personal life, I have no secrets. I can assure you that it has no bearing on my ability to teach. If anything, it gives me greater compassion for those who are disadvantaged, who perhaps must work harder for the privilege of education."

"I see. So you would favour those who come from poorer backgrounds like yourself?" he said mildly. "Would you give them preference over those who are of better social standing, who could have better opportunities and abilities?"

Anne was incensed. "Mr Pringle, I do not show favouritism in my classroom, be they rich or poor. A teacher has an obligation to anyone who is hungry for education." With a sharp pang, Anne thought of Timothy, his bright prospects and big ambitions taken from him too soon. She drew in a calming breath, determined to not to allow him to anger her.

"Well, this is very interesting. Now, Miss Shirley, I could not help but notice your lovely ring." he then said, apropos of nothing. Anne's eyes narrowed, watching him write again in his little book. "May I assume that is indeed an _engagement_ ring?"

Anne gritted her teeth. "It is."

"Might I inquire when the happy day is, Miss Shirley? After all, we can't have you running off to be married through the school year, can we?"

Anne gave a barely concealed grimace at his rudeness. "My fiance and I will not be married for another three years, Mr Pringle."

He looked at her in surprise. "Oh? And the reason for so long a wait?"

Anne smiled sweetly. "I don't believe that the board needs to concern themselves with our affairs, however as we have no secrets: my fiance is a medical student. He will graduate in the spring of 1890."

He gave her a condescending look that made Anne long to break a glass over his head. "It is a shame for a lady so attractive to be forced to spend years waiting for the comfort and stability of a husband." He gave her a cautious smile. "I do hope that you do not see Summerside as merely a place to amuse yourself for three years."

Anne's eyebrows flew up, her voice icy. "Mr Pringle, I am a teacher. This is what I am trained to do, and I assure you, I am confident in my abilities. This is not a hobby or a way to mark time, I intend to _teach_."

More writing in the little book, during which Anne meditated on her immediate career prospects if she chose to slap him. She chose then to address his concerns directly.

"Mr Pringle, I don't believe you wish to see me hired." He looked up at that, shocked at the young woman's forthrightness. He put down his pen, suddenly wary.

"I wouldn't quite say _that_ , my dear. Although it is true that there are those of us on the board who believed that the job rightfully belonged to a young man from our own town. Someone who is of impeccable breeding, and trained at one of the finest schools in the country." He looked at her, watching to see her pretty face fall. He was disappointed to see that it didn't.

Anne crossed her hands on the table, watching him steadily. "The democratic vote is a wonderful thing, is it not? Regardless of the person _some_ of you wished to have, I imagine that I could not have been offered the job unless over half of the board ruled in my favour."

He did not seem able to meet her eyes on this point, choosing to study the sharp tip of his pencil instead. "Votes may be changed, Miss Shirley. You must understand, my dear, my job today is to ascertain whether or not the board made the correct decision to hire you- and it is my duty to report my findings to them when I return to Summerside. I acknowledge that your resume is adequate and that you certainly seem to have earned the favour of your lecturers. Personally, however, I question whether someone like yourself is able to withstand the rigours of the school term." He hesitated and then opened his hands, with a vague impression of a gentle smile. "You do not give the impression of someone overly strong."

"Oh?" Anne asked, her gaze watchful.

"My sources tell me that you have been quite unwell, recently." By the look on his face, this was the arrow he had been waiting to fire since the start of the interview.

Anne's anger seemed to bubble in her very veins, and it was with an effort that she controlled her voice. "As inappropriate as it is for you to investigate rather than approach me honestly- that is correct. And yet I have been deemed fit to resume my normal duties by the doctor."

Mr Pringle sighed heavily. "And yet the doctor may be partial, Miss Shirley. No, unless you were examined by another doctor; indeed, someone from our board would suffice- well, we couldn't _possibly_ consider-"

Anne stood up suddenly, making the gentleman jump back in his seat. Rage seemed to radiate from her, and she towered over him, her eyes fierce. It was with an effort that she controlled herself, not wishing to stoop to his level.

"Sir, I believe this interview is at an end. You have my application, and indeed you have my acceptance of it and a signed contract. I also retain my own copy of such. It is my belief that you need to learn to put the education of your children above your need to control and manipulate those around you. I will await the _joint_ decision of the Summerside High School board, and it is my hope that whatever the outcome, that political machinations have no bearing on the welfare of the school. Good morning."

She swept from the room then, and Mr James Pringle remained sitting, his mouth open in shock. His papers were in disarray from his abrupt leap, and as he closed the little back book, he looked around the room, thankful that the concierge had admitted no one else. He took the paperwork and stuffed it recklessly into his satchel. As he rose to go to his hotel suite, his look was uneasy. She was more strong-willed than he thought. He would have to see if the other board members could be _reasoned_ with now.

* * *

Half an hour later, Gilbert sat in a secluded park he had frequented as a student, underneath fir trees that rose impressively into the sky. He had given up on Anne sitting down for the time being, and he could practically see the steam pouring out of her ears as she strode to and fro, telling him of the story of the interview. He had listened with an alarmed look, having never heard of such tactics before.

"Sweetheart, how did you not hit him over the head?"

"I wish I had. Oh, for a slate at that moment…." she groaned, rubbing her face. "There is no way to argue with that kind of prejudice, Gil. I can only hope that the Pringles only represent a small portion of the society there." She froze suddenly. "Gilbert, I just remembered- it was a Pringle who got the Kingsport position."

"Well, if they wanted him, why didn't they offer it to him?" Gilbert said, puzzled.

Anne laughed dryly. "Perhaps he knew what he was getting himself in for."

Eventually, she sat down on the bed of pine needles, her red head resting against his shoulder with a sigh. "These are the people I will be working with. How am I going to take charge of a school when I don't have the backing of a united board? You know the rumours that always went around at Queens of the schools that were the hardest to work for- you remember how everyone pitied Melinda Taylor for getting the Richmond school. I fear that Summerside is the same."

Gilbert held her closely, thinking, watching the clouds form on the horizon. "Anne-girl, why are you even considering this school?"

She sat back, her grey eyes fixed on his sharply. "I'm not _considering_ it," she emphasised. "I considered it four months ago. Three months ago I was offered the position, and I accepted it."

He shuffled back against the tree, his look open. "No, I'm asking why you are considering it _now_. I agree that had your contract gone through as it should, this wouldn't be a question worth asking. But it didn't, and you've seen something now that you can't UN-see."

Anne was speechless. "What are you saying, Gilbert? That you think I should capitulate, and accept that my career is being destroyed by people who have already decided that I'm not good enough?"

"No, I'm saying take your career out of their hands." He watched her mouth open and close in shock and sighed. "Look, you know I'll support your decision if you choose to go-"

"But you think I shouldn't," Anne said, heatedly. "Do you not think I can do this?"

"It's not about whether you can do it or not, it's about what you have to do to survive it!" he shot back. "Anne, you are more than qualified for the job, you know that. The school would be lucky to have you. And if you had found out all of this when the term started, you would simply have to handle it. But you know what they're like _now_ \- and you're being given a way out."

Anne's eyes flashed at him. "It's not a way out, Gil, it's an attempt to get rid of me before I even begin!"

"Yes! By the people who will control your future job!"

He sighed and pulled her closer to him, turning to watch her with concerned eyes. "Anne, I _know_ you. I know you want everyone to think well of you. You want to win those who don't like you, and that you thrive on challenges. My guess is that you see this as both." Her chin rose a little, however she met his eyes, gradually calming. "Sweetheart, you have nothing to prove here. And if this is how they behave now, what will it be like for you if you get the better of them and you have to report to these Pringles?" Anne looked uncertain for a moment, and he sighed. "I'm concerned that this is the tip of the iceberg. I know that it's your decision, but I don't think I can ignore what you've told me without at least talking about it- and I'm sorry, sweetheart, I don't trust the school. I don't doubt that you could win them over eventually- but how hard will it be for you in the meantime? Is that how you want to spend the next three years?"

Anne's hands were clasped around her knees, and she studied the toes of her boots carefully. "I need to spend it _teaching_."

Gilbert bent down to look in her eyes. "Anne, why aren't we discussing the position that you really want?"

Her movements stilled, and when she finally looked at him, he wasn't surprised to see tears in her eyes. She wiped them away with a shaky hand.

"Honestly, I didn't expect anything to come of it," she said softly. "The school hasn't even advertised yet. And since I had a contract with Summerside, it seemed unethical to even consider it." She sighed then, laying her head against his chest. "Gil, I don't know what to think now- I don't know how helpful going to see them will be. And I don't want to admit how pessimistic I really feel about my chances."

"Good Lord; call the doctor," Gilbert said theatrically, holding Anne close to him. "She's gone pessimistic." Anne laughed, shoving him away slightly. He grinned at her. "Anne-girl, everyone feels like that at times- I often do. And it's _you_ who usually picks me up from that state. Come on, if this was me, what would you tell me?"

Anne rose to her feet, reaching down a hand to pull him to his feet with a sigh. The two of them picked up their satchels and began to walk to the edge of the park together. He gave her a little smile, and watched her eyes as they studied the landscape. "I suppose- I suppose I would say that we don't know what is around the bend in the road- that I should look for possibilities, not for what could go wrong."

"See? I feel better already. So should you."

She chuckled, her hand safely in his. "If neither school wants me, this could get very difficult. I think I can now appreciate your struggles last term, Gil. To have the best possibility dangled in front of you, while knowing that if it doesn't happen, everything could fall to pieces completely."

Gilbert adjusted the hat on his head with an amused look. "Yes, that about sums it up. But it isn't the same situation here, sweetheart- no matter what the outcome is, in three years time we _are_ getting married." His twisted smile was loving, and she nodded. "Having said that, I am expecting big things to come from this."

He came to a halt before wrought iron gates that had not changed since they were last here. Anne's hand was tightly clutching Gilbert's as she glanced at him nervously, before together they looked up at the imposing statues that sat on either side of the entrance to the Queens Academy.


	43. Chapter 43, Return to Queens

**Chapter 43**

Anne and Gilbert were ushered into the Principal's waiting room by Mrs Slade, the secretary who had been there when they were students. Anne looked around delightedly when the door closed behind her.

"Gil, we might have only left here the other day!"

He grinned at her. "Well, it was only six years ago. I was last in here on the final day of classes, and you and I passed each other in the hall just there before my meeting with Principal Walters."

Anne beamed. "That's right, we did. I had to meet him about the Avery- as I assume you did about winning the Medal." She looked at Gilbert then, curiously. "Do you suppose the Avery went to anyone else, that year?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No. If you don't take the scholarship, it's held in reserve until the next year. It doesn't get passed to the next candidate."

Anne turned to him, her mind on the scholarships they had each won over the years. "Gil, were you ever sorry about not going to Oxford?"

One brown eyebrow flew up as he regarded her. "And give up the last year with you? I hardly think so."

"But the opportunity-"

"I have all the opportunity I want, Anne," he argued warmly. "I finished college with top honours, I have a scholarship to medical school at a college as close to home as I can be right now- and more than all that, _you_ are going to be my wife. I've got everything I could ever dream of. What could Oxford have done for me that would beat that?"

Anne's eyes twinkling merrily. "Well, you could have seen the Tower of London by now."

Gilbert's grin was huge as he pulled her close. "I'll take you there one day, Anne-girl. We'll see it together." He had just touched his nose to hers when he heard a step behind him, and the two of them looked up to see a man standing before them with a smile.

"Now you know I don't allow my male and female students to fraternise on school property," his amused voice said, causing Gilbert and Anne to stand up quickly, a light blush appearing on Anne's cheeks. "I do hope you aren't being sent by professors to see me?"

Anne's smile was big as she regarded Principal Walters. "As a matter of fact, sir, I _am_."

Princ surveyed the obviously close couple with a smile. "I see. Miss Shirley, Mr Blythe, would you care to step into my office?"

A short time later, when the three of them were sitting in the principal's comfortable sitting room with a cup of tea that the secretary had brought in, Mr Walters surveyed them with a smile.

"Miss Shirley-" here he smiled, and shook his head. "No, you haven't been my students for many years; may I call you both by your given names?"

Anne's grey eyes twinkled. "You may, although I'm not sure that I can reciprocate, Professor."

The older man laughed. "I must say, we were very pleased to hear about your successes at Redmond. We do keep an eye out for our past students, and according to the papers from Kingsport, quite a number of our students just graduated with you. And I understand that congratulations are also in order for the pair of you?"

The young couple looked at each other in a way that could only confirm the professor's query, and a few minutes were spent discussing the wedding that would take place in three years time, and Gilbert's immediate plans for medical school. After some minutes of light conversation, Gilbert sat back, watching Professor Walters study Anne thoughtfully. "Now, as pleasant as it is to see you both, I assume that there is something in particular that you came to see me about."

Anne pulled Professor Trelor's letter from her satchel and handed it to him. She and Gilbert sat in silence while he perused it with interest, her hand in Gilbert's. The older man drew his glasses off when he had finished it, and turned to face Anne directly.

"You may not know this, but Queens has a long-standing relationship with Redmond University. Many students go from here directly to Redmond; we use them for training for our staff, and in return, they are happy to recommend teachers to us when we need them. It became necessary for me to contact them a month ago about a replacement for Professor Hamilton."

Anne's head flew up. "He's retiring altogether?"

Mr Walters' look was regretful. "He wasn't well, the last term- hasn't been for quite some time. Heart trouble, I believe. We've worked together for over a decade here- as you know, he's been the head of the English department for the past fifteen years."

"I'm sorry to hear that. He was a wonderful teacher." Anne said softly. "Professor Trelor didn't indicate that it was his position."

The older man set the letter down and assumed a businesslike manner. "Well, it's fairly straightforward. We need someone to head up the English department, someone who needs to commence in under four weeks time." He took off his glasses with a sigh, to view the young couple before him. "I received a letter of recommendation from Anthony Trelor about you as well, he believed you were more than qualified for the position. However, he was under the impression that you had accepted another position." He caught the uneasy glance between Anne and Gilbert. "May I ask if you are contracted to a school?"

Anne gave a dry laugh. "Sir, that is indeed the question of the day." She briefly outlined the situation for the professor, including the meeting that had taken place that morning. He examined the contracts with interest, and after asking a few more questions he folded his arms with a rueful face.

"If you've fallen foul of the board, Anne, I don't think we need to consider this binding."

Anne's eyebrows shot up, and her chin rose. "Sir, I have _done_ nothing to fall foul of the board-"

Gilbert squeezed her hand gently and she stopped, drawing in a calming breath.

The professor seemed unworried by her reaction. "No, you won't have. However, the Summerside school has quite the reputation amongst the teaching community- something you couldn't have known. As you can see, it hasn't changed." He sighed then, gesturing to the paperwork by the desk. "We've got four more of their students coming this academic year. Rich families, who believe their little treasures to be above the rules. Lucky _us_." His smile was wry, and he pushed the papers away to talk to her honestly. "Anne, from what you have told me, I wouldn't be expecting the situation to change."

Anne's face fell, and she thankfully felt the warmth of Gilbert's hand on her arm. "But I- I thought that if I just held my ground-"

Professor Walters shook his head. "This isn't about you, Anne. You can see that the school is already fighting a battle within itself."

"Does this happen often, Professor?" Gilbert asked.

The older gentleman nodded. "It does when schools become a part of town politics. Anne, my suggestion would be to withdraw your application as soon as possible, making it very clear that the board's decision to withdraw faith in the previously signed contracts and the manner in which you were questioned is the reason for your doing so."

Anne looked out of the window with a sigh. "Doing so will not make me any more popular with Summerside High board."

The older man shook his head. "No, but the result will be the same if you don't. We've had several promising young candidates who were turned away in recent years from that school." Anne's eyes widened at this, and she looked across at Gilbert, stunned. "As I said, they have a reputation. This isn't the first time." He put his glasses back on, and leant forward, surveying her face with a curious smile. "However, that does change the situation dramatically. Anne, what are you doing for the next hour and a half?"

* * *

When Professor Walters called his secretary into the room to begin issuing instructions, Gilbert leant across to tell Anne that he would step out for a time. Her face was pale, however, she gave him a steady smile.

"It's alright, Gil. I'm perfectly ready for this," she said softly. "

"I know. I'll spend some time looking around our old haunts, and I'll call back for you-"

The principal was sorting through papers at his desk and grinned at him. "I hope you don't mind me calling a meeting so swiftly, Gilbert; however, it can be difficult to get board members in town on short notice. Today we have four of them at the school looking over building plans for next year, and I plan on using that to our advantage. I should think we would be done before one if you would like to call back for Anne then? Take a look around the school if our like, some of the new facilities are quite impressive."

"Of course, sir." He gave Anne a swift kiss on the cheek, his eyes twinkling at her. "You've got this, sweetheart. Show 'em what you're made of."

Anne laughed, and he winked at her as he closed the door behind himself.

Gilbert set out into the sunshine with a smile. Queens Academy was putting its best foot forward that day; from where he stood, he could see gardeners working over the rose gardens and fountains, and all doors and windows were open for cleaning. He looked around, picturing Anne teaching here. She would be walking these halls, talking with staff in the offices, teaching in the very classrooms they had once sat in.

He'd seen her teaching, just once. White Sands had closed the school one Friday for a town celebration- he'd taken the opportunity to head for home, and walked to the Avonlea school to meet her. He'd been early, and stood out of sight to watch her with a goofy smile on his face. Far from the harum-scarum girl who had challenged him to a race at the pond mere days ago, here she was neat and trim and professional; her crisp white blouse as perfect at the end of the day as it must have been that morning. Gilbert was mesmerised by Anne's calm authority, and the clear, sweet voice that rang through the building like a bell. After, he'd seen her students clamouring around her desk at the end of the day, eager to show their work and recieve her praise. He'd been unaccountably silent when he stepped in through the doors of their old classroom to meet her, and he was hard pressed to keep from staring at her when they walked home in the autumn sunshine.

He'd thought she was _wonderful_.

Gilbert spent an hour looking through the rooms, now opened up and receiving a comprehensive clean in preparation for the following day's board review. He wandered over to the football fields and science rooms, ending up in the high-ceilinged dining hall. He grinned, seeing the same tables he and Charlie and Frank had sat at, throwing a ball to each other over the tables, most likely trying to get the attention of the girls on the next table. He smiled, remembering Charlie's protests, Ruby's squeal and Josie's bossy tones; and always drawing his eye, Anne's glossy, red head buried in a book at the end of the table, resolutely refusing to look at him. Even when he'd nearly leant across her once to catch Frank's wide throw. He chuckled as he turned from the room. Any other girl would have looked at him- but then, any other girl would have bored him to tears too.

* * *

It was just past one in the afternoon when at last Anne walked down the pathway of Queens, to the bench under the trees where Gilbert sat waiting. He looked up from the book he was reading with a relieved smile, rising to take her into his arms for a tight hug.

"All well?" he asked, without releasing her.

Anne tipped her head up to look at him, a bright smile showing over her tiredness. "I think so. Professor Walters will contract me once the board has had some time to deliberate."

Gilbert's arm was around her waist as he led her towards the front gates. "Did he say how it looks?" he ventured.

Anne chuckled. "No. Although he did introduce me as a most distinguished former student with an impeccable record of academic excellence. The board members seemed very happy with my resume, and I think winning the Avery six years ago could work in my favour as well." She gave a little sigh and tipped her head up to look at the tall young man beside her. "When do we need to catch the train? Does it need to be straight away?"

Gilbert shrugged with a grin. "Well, we're not expected home until supper tonight, so we have a few hours. What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing, really- although it would be lovely to just forget everything that is at stake for a time," Anne commented wryly.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead as they walked, a big smile on his face. "I think we can do that, Anne-girl. We're both probably famished- and I did promise Marilla I'd make you stop and eat. Come on, I've got an idea."

Only a short time later, Anne looked around the cosy crimson tea room that sat across from the college with a big smile. "I haven't been here in so long, Gil! What made you think of this place?"

The twisted smile was on his face again, and his hazel eyes twinkled at her. "I came across it on my walk. This was the place all the boys took their dates when we were here, sweetheart."

Anne chuckled, her cheeks growing pink. "And are you determined to recreate our Queens year here?"

"And step back from the wonderful present to that sorry time? Hardly. But there's no harm in us making some new memories, is there?"

Anne looked around her while Gilbert spoke to the lady behind the counter. The same table cloths were on the table, the painting of Queen Victoria hanging as it used to above the mantelpiece. Ruby had brought them here often in those days, sitting in the centre of the group, whispering little juicy bits of gossip about who had brought her there last time. She would remind Anne to not sit hunched over a book, demonstrating how best to make the most of her - ahem- _assets_ in attracting the attention of the boys. Anne had laughed at the idea of anyone noticing her, with a little note of envy at her chum's voluptuous figure. There was no doubt that the butterfly Ruby rarely tossed her golden curls and sat prettily in vain.

At just sixteen, Anne could only see the red hair and freckles that plagued her soul- that and the body that was stubbornly not filling out, she thought with a scowl. Di had suggested that while in Charlottetown, Anne should eat more of the rich foods her Aunt Jo always had available - an experiment that had only left her feeling mildly queasy, and her figure no different. She'd shrugged and given up then. Well, there was always the possibility a foreign missionary would want to marry her one day. Surely he couldn't be so fussy.

Gilbert and the other boys were often invited to the tea rooms with them as well, and Anne had grown resigned to seeing his well-shaped brown head next to Ruby's at the opposite end of the table. He hadn't acknowledged her beyond the cool nod he usually gave her when in the same company- and of course she didn't want him to, she'd quickly reminded herself.

On an afternoon close to their end of year exams they had been gathered yet again, Ruby and Josie lamenting that soon they would have to wear their hair down for the summer when back under their parent's watchful eyes. Anne's book had fallen to the side while the girls moaned, her hands clasped and big grey eyes wistfully looking out of the lace-trimmed windows. Diana's letter that day had been a reminder of how far away Avonlea seemed. Unheard by anyone, Anne gave a little sigh. Soon Matthew and Marilla would be sitting alone on the veranda as they did in the spring evenings, both of them silent without her to chatter to pull them from their solitude. Her place at the dinner table would be empty that night, as it had been most of the winter. Missing them with a sharp pang, Anne blinked back sudden tears. She was longing for home.

She was startled by Charlie's voice at her shoulder then and wondered how long he had been speaking.

"Of course I'll be busy, most of the summer, Anne. Dad says he needs me in the office right away- sorting important paperwork, no doubt." He leant back on the chair near hers with his thumbs in his belt loops. "Of course, my father wouldn't have me teach- I'd be wasted in a classroom, he feels."

Anne blinked confusedly. "Oh. That's- that's very interesting, Charlie."

He'd pushed his chair closer to hers then, and Anne had looked up in desperation to meet intense hazel eyes across the table that quickly moved away from her own. She'd heard his voice, then.

"Ruby, it's not boring, it's _meant_ to be a tragedy. The themes are timeless."

Anne saw Ruby's wide-eyed look. "Well, I don't see what's so _interesting_ about Hamlet. Ophelia looks like she could be some fun, but then she goes mad and drowns in a river. And Hamlet goes mad too and is so mean to everyone; so everyone is mad or cross, and dies in the end anyway."

As subtly as she could, Anne watched Gilbert give a mild sigh of exasperation, and she tried to suppress her own smile. His heart wasn't really in the argument, and soon he fell to talking with Moody about the history class. She gave a tiny sigh as she returned to her own book, her hands gripping the cover tightly. Some of the themes of Shakespeare's most famous story ran through her mind- moral corruption and the pointlessness of losing life to revenge, ghosts that needed to be laid to rest, and a life stuck between the living and the dead. Themes she was itching to debate with someone who _understood_ them- and yet she couldn't with him. As the chatter around them continued, Anne pushed the cup in front of her away with a sigh. _She'd_ have given Gilbert a run for his money. The funny things _was_ , she had a feeling that Gilbert would have loved the debate with her as well- that what he really wanted someone who was able to take him on.

* * *

Back in the present, Anne sighed contentedly, watching the same lace curtains in the windows blow in the breeze. She could imagine the room full of chattering students once more and smiled. "It was a wonderful idea to come here, Gil. Diana's Aunt Josephine came to see me a few times between classes- when I wasn't at Beechwood visiting her." She gave him a cheeky smile then. "Now, you have to tell me, darling, did you ever come here with anyone back then?"

Gilbert smiled at the lack of jealousy in her question. "Oh, Ruby dragged me here once or twice- until she realised that Frank Stockley was much more attentive than I was."

Anne gave a little laugh at that, removing her gloves to pour the tea into Gilbert's cup. "Stella used to think Frank was _awfully_ handsome. I think she may have had a little crush on him, at one point. Priss would tease her about him constantly until Stella threatened to tell Charlie that Priscilla liked _him_." Anne smiled, thinking of her friends. "Oh, Gil, the girls were a wonderful blessing here- I would have been very lonely without them. I missed Matthew and Marilla and Di so much."

Gilbert watched her thoughtfully, as he stirred his tea. "I missed Mother and Dad too- but I was itching to get out of Avonlea at that point. I was eighteen and impatient to see bigger things- to be getting on with bigger things. I used to pass by the docks on the way to school- and I'd stare at the harbour, wondering what it would be like to just to jump on board some ship, to see what was out there."

Anne studied his face. "Were you ever tempted to, Gil?" she asked softly. His head snapped up, looking at her in surprise. "There were so many boys who did just that, back then- sometimes boys would leave the orphanage when they turned fifteen, and join a ship that was leaving port that same day." She smiled, her eyes caressing his handsome face. "I mean, I would imagine you wouldn't do that to your parents, however, I think I understand how tempting it could be. Did you never consider it?"

Gilbert folded his arms in thought, looking at the picture of a steamer on the mantelpiece. "There were a number of reasons why I didn't, I suppose. Dad's health, and the fact that we'd been away from Ma for so long in Alberta, for one. If I wasn't at school I might have thought about it. My Uncle Stephen, the one who lives in New Brunswick now, did just that. Ma still has all of his postcards from around the world. He was overseas for almost five years before coming back to Canada. He left Four Winds when he was sixteen." He gave her a little smile. "I wasn't about to lose my chance for an education, Anne-girl. I'd caught up from three years away, and I finally had a chance to do something with it."

Anne rolled her eyes, her look loving. "You more than caught up, beloved. Your intellect was _made_ to take on higher education."

Gilbert reached across the table to take her slim hands in his own, his voice gentle. "Speaking of which, are you ready to talk what happened at Queens? I'm dying of curiosity here, sweetheart."

She chuckled. "You mean after our warm welcome this morning, dearest?"

Over the sandwiches and dainty tea cakes that the waitress brought over, Anne told him what had transpired after he left.

"We're so fortunate that we came up today, Gil- and that I took Professor Trelor's letter seriously. The board is meeting tonight, and the four gentlemen interviewing me were a far sight from Mr Pringle this morning. They genuinely knew their business and were very professional as they asked all of their questions, and even allowed me to ask some of my own. They don't mind that I would only be there for three years, and they were very interested in the possibility of incorporating some of the more modern ways of teaching English into the syllabus. I may still have to wait to hear back, I was very kindly told that they do not make hasty decisions at Queens. According to Professor Walters, the curriculum is already in place, I wouldn't need to write one, although I would be encouraged to use anything that I believe would enhance student learning. He was beaming through most of the interview, so I imagine that I have his blessing to apply."

"And have you decided-" he trailed off then, seeing her shake her head.

"Not yet. And I don't want to say anything to anyone apart from Marilla tonight- I'd rather just let them know that the interview with Summerside happened and that we're waiting for a result."

Gilbert's eyebrows rose. "Sweetheart, that won't keep Mrs Lynde at bay-"

There was a mutinous look on Anne's face that made him chuckle. "I don't _care_. This is no one else's decision, and they can just wait until I know some more." Her eyes softened. "I know this is hard for you as well, Gil, but until I'm sure-"

He took her hands in his, his look frank. "This isn't about me, Anne-girl. This is _yours_. And I'll try and keep you safe from questioning tonight- I just can't promise you that my family will be any less curious."

Anne's grin was wicked. "It may be _you_ that needs to be protected tomorrow, Gilbert Blythe. How many of your family are in Avonlea right now, dearest?"

He laughed, taking a biscuit off her rose-patterned plate. "Right now? Three Aunts, two Uncles, two great aunts and Uncle Dave, a handful of cousins and six children. I almost had to give up my room this time."

"Almost?"

"Well, most of them are staying at the hotel in Carmody. Dad's cousin Anthony and his wife are next door as well, Aunt Rebecca and her children are staying at White Sands, and Uncle Dave and Aunt Katherine are staying in the guest room at home."

Anne's grey eyes were wide. "Goodness, Gil! And are all of them coming for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Most. But they'll all be there for the engagement party that isn't an engagement party," he said dryly. Anne laughed, teased him about facing up to the misdemeanours of his youth with the family he had not seen for years. between chuckles, Gilbert spent time acquainting Anne with the family members that she was due to meet the following evening. It was a wonderful respite in the city, and it was with some reluctance that Gilbert suggested they should head downtown again. Anne and Gilbert left the little tea room to stop for one last look at the imposing school entrance across the road.

"We'll just keep trusting," Gilbert said softly, giving a very still Anne a gentle nudge. "If you're meant to be here it will work out, somehow."

Her voice was quiet. "And if I need to be somewhere else?"

Gilbert's arms were around her, and she relaxed into them as they stood together. "Then that's what you'll do." He gave her a big smile. "You'll find the right job, sweetheart. You've always been able to make the impossible happen- and I see no reason to doubt that now."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the streets of Charlottetown, simply talking and enjoying their time together. The tailor had asked Gilbert to return that afternoon for the suits he had yet to complete, and while he was busy Anne was able to complete a little shopping of her own. The train was running on time, and it was with plenty of time to spare that the couple made themselves comfortable in the brocade seats, stowing their purchases away easily. As the train began to move, Gilbert's arm was around Anne, and she watched the harbour in the sparkling sunshine, wondering when she would be seeing it next.

"You'll be crossing from here soon," Anne said, with a smile that tried to be brave. "And you'll need a carriage just to transport all of your belongings to the student accommodation." She lay her head against his firm shoulder and sighed. "What's it like, Gil?"

"It's like my room at the Saunders', actually. You never saw that, did you?"

This made Anne giggle. "Of course not. Charlie was dubious enough about me being in the hallway downstairs if you remember."

Gilbert shifted to pull her closer with a smile. "The rooms are not bad, actually- I'm up on the first floor, overlooking the college entrance." He chuckled, as she looked up at him in surprise. "The winner of the Cooper prize gets a view, you know. It has a wardrobe in one corner, a fairly big desk, and a bed that looks a lot like your one at home. The linen is a bit threadbare, so Mother is sending me with sheets, blankets, quilts, curtains and everything. She started packing them last week. After all, I'll be there for three years, I may as well be comfortable. The housekeeper showed me around when I was putting things into storage; it seems decent. Each room has a little stove in it for heating water up, so I'll be fairly self-sufficient for late night studying. Time will tell what the meals will be like, I suppose."

They continued to talk quietly for a time, however as the train moved through the little towns, soon Anne's eyelids began to droop and Gilbert positioned himself to hold her as she slept. He was tired himself and looked at the passing fields and rivers, his head resting against the top of the seat. Less than four weeks to go, now. And yet he smiled, as the curve of the track moved her against him. She was here now, she was safe and well. If she was bound for Charlottetown, things could be very different. Could she visit more often, or could he? And after all, he would always come back to the Island through the town. He smiled as he let his mind wander to meeting her at the school, the two of them heading for Avonlea on the train together. His smile grew wider as he thought of ecstatic reunions conducted far from Mrs Lynde's watchful eyes. Who knew? By the time they entered their hometown on their visits home, they might manage to remain decorous after all.

A little while later, Anne woke up to see his sleeping face close to her own. She raised her hand to stroke his cheek, smiling at the roughness of his chin against her palm. It was something she dearly loved to touch; the contrast against her own soft skin was irresistible. He stirred at her touch, looking around him in surprise.

"We're coming into Carmody, soon," she commented. "You must have needed a sleep, sweetheart."

He sat up then with a chuckle as the porter stood, beginning to assist fellow travellers with their belongings. Finding their purchases was a challenge in the lamp light on the trains, however by the time the train pulled into the Carmody station, the couple had their belongings securely in hand. Within minutes they had collected the buggy from the stables, and a weary couple turned towards Avonlea with a sigh of relief.

* * *

Green Gables was warm and bright when they entered the front doors, with Davy and Dora flying down the stairs to greet them. Soon Marilla and Mrs Lynde were on hand, ushering the two of them into the kitchen and inquiring anxiously about how the day had gone. Over the cosy tea table, Anne gave a brief rundown of the interview with Mr Pringle and chuckled to see the indignant reactions of the household. Anne assured them that the situation was being resolved soon; and that she would inform them as soon as she had any news. After a short time, a very tired Gilbert rose to return home. This time, not even Mrs Lynde flinched when he gave Anne a swift kiss on the way out the door.

That night, when Marilla came to Anne's door to check on her, Anne showed Marilla the letter she had received from Professor Trelor. Anne watched the start of surprise on Marilla's face, smiling to see slight tears in her eyes.

"You could be in Charlottetown? Closer to home?" the older woman asked, her voice shaking slightly. Anne nodded with a hopeful smile, knowing what this would mean for the family.

"Legally I am contracted to Summerside," she said slowly. "However as Summerside appears to wish to end that, I have a chance to apply for the Queens position."

Marilla looked at the girl in her rosy dressing gown, her hair in two long braids. Somehow she could see the eleven-year-old girl for just a moment and smiled fondly at the memory of her little girl. "Did you let this Pringle fellow know you were displeased?"

Anne gave a rather guilty laugh. "Yes, you certainly could say that. I rather doubt they would give me the time of day, after that. I told them I would wait for the board to decide, however, Professor Walters believes I should simply withdraw my acceptance now."

Marilla's gaze was shrewd. "And have you decided what you will do yet?"

Anne shook her head, her eyes thoughtful. "No. To walk away from a promising job, even under such circumstances seems so foolish- and yet if I can let myself believe it, I have a chance of this other position as well."

Marilla nodded, her hand briefly on Anne's. "You'll let me know as soon as you decide?" she asked.

Anne nodded, smiling as Marilla bent down to give her a kiss on the top of her head. "You know that I want you close," she said after a moment, "but whatever you decide will be just fine with me." She left the room with an unaccustomed softness in her eyes, and Anne sighed as the door closed behind her.

Anne sat down on her bed, looking at her little room thoughtfully. On her mantelpiece sat photos of Matthew and Marilla, and another of herself with Davy and Dora. She smiled, her eyes moving to her desk. The photos from their graduation had arrived soon after her recovery, and the picture of herself and Gilbert in cap and gown stood in pride of place beside the vase of flowers Anne had gathered yesterday. She smiled at the triumphant look on Gilbert's face in the picture, the way his arm was wrapped tightly around her. She remembered how he had kept her so close to him that day, how proud she was of him- how proud he had been of _her_.

Anne tucked her feet up close to her body, her arms wrapped around her knees. Gilbert had been simply wonderful, that day. He'd been concerned, but willing to let her handle the situation as she saw fit. He'd made her laugh and brought her back to herself, he'd encouraged her and simply loved her. She smiled now, seeing the little parcel that sat on her dressing table. The blue tie she had once given him was threadbare now- worn to keep her close when she was far from him. She closed her eyes as she blew out the candle by her bedside table. Inside the package was a deep blue tie to replace the old one he had loved. The other was a tie that she simply could not leave in the shop- a shade that she knew would make him laugh.

It could be called Burnt Umbre, it could be called Vermillion or Fire. The word, however, that would come to Gilbert's mind when he saw the bright colour was the very first word he had ever spoken to her.

 _Carrots_.


	44. Chapter 44, Apple Tree Moments

**Chapter 44**

Early on Tuesday morning, Anne tiptoed out of Green Gables, leaving a brief note to let Marilla know where she had gone. Outside the sun was coming up over the horizon, and the yard still lay in the shade of the big trees. The air was sweet and fresh, and she pulled the blue cardigan around her as she stepped lightly down the pathway to meet Gilbert. He was leaning against the gate in the early light as he had done so often before, straightening up with a warm smile as she approached. To her surprise, he merely took her satchel and her hand in his before setting out into the woods.

Anne looked at him, bemused. "We aren't saying good morning this morning?"

Gilbert flashed her a mischievous glance and kept them walking. "You'll get your good morning, sweetheart. I only want to be out of sight of Rachel Lynde's window before I give it."

Anne laughed, and when the trees closed behind them she suddenly found herself pressed against a convenient birch trunk, his arms tightly around her and his lips on hers. To lose themselves as they had dreamed of doing was still a miracle to the pair, and it was several minutes before Anne pulled away, gazing at him with a thoughtful look. He smiled down at her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked softly.

Anne studied his hazel eyes with a grin. "I'm wondering why you insisted on meeting me out here so early in the morning. I should have packed more if we were running away together."

Gilbert chuckled as his broad hands stroked her waist. "If _only_ , sweetheart. I told you last night, we need to discuss things." He stepped away then with a smile, pulling her in a westerly direction along one of the lesser known pathways. "Dad wants me in the fields in a few hours time, and I thought we'd get more time if I came early. We can have breakfast out here together, _and_ cross yet another place of our list."

They chattered as they walked through pathways lined with ferns and mossy stones until they reached the head of the marsh they had been heading towards. Anne's eyes brightened, and she dropped Gilbert's hand to run ahead of him and into the sweet, secluded valley he had taken her to four years earlier. The maple trees that lined the hollow were still green, and pine and beech trees mingled on the hill in the distance. In the centre of the tiny glade was an apple tree that had grown immensely over the last four years. Anne circled it, exclaiming at the heavily laden branches, and the dainty flowers carpeting the ground. The fallen tree had mellowed and weathered with age, and a little pool of water now sat in the corner where the old tree had once been. Gilbert watched her move around the secret place with a huge smile. Only two months ago he had feared for her life, and yet here she was dancing through the grass and bursting with life, her blue skirts standing out amongst the lush greenness of the valley.

"It is altogether more wonderful than I could have imagined!" she said with a happy sigh, coming back to where he had sat down, his back against the trunk of the old tree. She fell to her knees with a smile, leaning forward to place gentle hands on his face, her kiss and the loose red curls blowing in the breeze making him sigh with satisfaction. Dreamily he pulled her onto his lap, nuzzling his face against her smooth, white throat.

"You're nearly back to your normal size, Anne-girl."

She chuckled, her grey eyes sparkling. "That depends on who you are talking to. Last night Mrs Lynde told Marilla that she was sure I was wasting away again, and should definitely be much fatter by now."

Gilbert's gaze was horrified, making her laugh again. "She _said_ that to you?"

"She did. Perhaps worry makes her see me more clearly than you do," she teased, as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, as no one apart from me gets to be this close to you, _I_ say I'm the better authority."

Anne shrugged, slipping down to sit next to him on the blanket he had conjured from his own bag. "My clothes are a fairly good one too. And they fit better than they have in months, dearest." She laughed then, taking the food she had brought out of her satchel. "I don't believe I will ever wear the dress from Phil's wedding again though- it was made far too close to me becoming ill, when I'd already lost so much weight."

Gilbert gave a slight shudder. "I'm just as happy to not be reminded again how thin you were back then. Although that dress was outstanding in some particulars," he said with a smug grin that made Anne's face flush.

" _Gilbert_!"

He apologised amongst laughter, to which Anne eventually joined in. "And you think it will be _me_ who writes the inappropriate letters!"

"Well, won't you?"

Anne handed him a pastry, her eyes twinkling. "You're a wonderful correspondent yourself, Gil. I expect you will be able to keep up with me just fine."

He kissed her forehead with a little chuckle, pausing for a moment, his cheek against hers. "I'll do my best. Now, darling girl, we need to talk strategies."

Anne frowned, puzzled. "It's dinner at your family's house, we're not going to war-"

"You might be surprised." At her laugh, he stretched out long legs on the grass, his hands behind his brown head. "Aunt Mary Maria is staying next door with my aunt, since apparently she 'always feels so cramped in Poor Cora's spare room'." Gilbert's voice had gone up to a mocking falsetto, making Anne giggle. "It doesn't stop her from coming there usually, but Uncle Dave said he was coming first- and with Mother's crowd coming she doesn't like playing second fiddle to anyone. So Aunt Josephine has the privilege instead."

"Can she really be so awful, Gil?"

"I'll let you decide after tonight... she's already driving Ma crazy." Gilbert smiled as Anne stretched out of the blanket, pillowing her head against his leg. "Everyone else is nice, if I do say so myself. They are pretty inquisitive, though." He was silent for a moment before broaching the subject with her gently. "In light of that, I wondered if we should talk about yesterday, sweetheart." He saw her tense slightly and ran his fingers through her soft, red hair. "I'm not sure if you've thought about what you're going to do yet- and I would be prepared to bet that you're going to be asked tonight." Anne turned to look at him, and he gave her a little smile. "I just don't think we can deflect everyone. If you're really not ready to, then I'll understand- but if you need a sounding board, then I'm here."

Anne sighed as his hand rested against her ribs comfortingly, and she looked up at the blue sky above them. "It's messy, I suppose. I don't know how I feel about it all."

To her surprise, Gilbert moved from above her, and shifted to lay next to her on the blanket, both of them shielded from the sunshine by the branches of the apple tree. He turned his head to look at her confused face. "Remember how we used to do this back when we were teaching? Usually, when we were working on plans for the Improvement society- not meetings we ever invited anyone else to, you'll notice."

Anne chuckled. "And we weren't holding hands then."

He grinned. "Well, that can only be a bonus, Anne-girl." He lifted their hands up to study them, smiling at the sight of the pearl ring once more in place on her finger. "I used to love it when we would do this. You would chatter away to me without any trace of self-consciousness at all; I would be wondering how it was possible to feel so right together- and it felt- it felt like _home_."

Anne smiled. "I know. I loved it too." She was silent for long minutes, and then tipped her head back to look at Gilbert, who was patiently watching her. "Oh, it's all so mixed up, Gil. I was looking forward to Summerside, to a point at least. I was settled, I knew where I'd be. _You_ knew where I'd be. And suddenly a job that I felt proud to have earned is put in jeopardy through no fault of my own- and after what Professor Walters said, I should apparently be grateful for that." She shut her eyes with a little groan. "And as much as I don't want to consider it, most likely I need to find work again, so close to the school term- and I'm terrified that it could be further away, or pay so little that I may as well stay here for three years. And I don't want to do that." Gilbert watched her as she talked, somehow feeling that there was more than uncertainty at the root of the muddle. He squeezed her hand understandingly, wanting her to continue. "I'm angry at the school for putting me in this position- and I'm angry at myself for not being able to fight against it. Or is it that I'm not willing?" she asked unanswerably. She gave an exasperated sigh then. "And the Queens job is like a dream- honestly, I'm afraid to put my trust in it after such a trial by fire with Summerside. It seems too much to expect that the opportunity could be mine after so little effort on my part." Anne watched a flock of birds flying overhead, her eyes stormy. Suddenly, she turned to him. "Gil, have I lost my sense of adventure?"

Gilbert looked at her in shock. "Anne-girl, what would make you say that?"

Her other hand flew into the air with frustration. "Because shouldn't I be wanting to expand my horizons after four years at college? Isn't it _settling_ to go to a school I barely had to apply for, that I've actually _attended_ in the past- a city I know well, family and friends close by- and Priss would be ridiculously close. It would all be so comfortable. and to be honest, I don't even want to apply anywhere else." Gilbert was surprised at the bitterness in her tone and rolled over to study her face. "Don't you remember how we used to talk back then about needing to leave, needing to expand our worlds- and here I am, allowing mine to shrink again. I- I feel like I'm failing myself- that I should be willing to go to a far outpost, to see what adventures wait for me out there. Instead, Gil- _I don't want to_. But don't I owe it to myself to try?" Gilbert was silent, and when she at last looked over at him, it was with a slight smile. "So what do you make of all that, Doctor Blythe?"

He grinned then. "I know better than to tell you how you feel about something, sweetheart." Gilbert sighed and studied her thoughtfully. "But if I were to guess, I would say that for some reason, you're fighting against what you really want to do."

Anne came up on one elbow with a frown. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you said it yourself- you don't want to apply anywhere else, and that you're afraid the opportunity is too good to be true," he said logically. "I think you're afraid to admit how much you want it."

Anne's brow lowered. "Maybe. I still think it might be settling." To her surprise, he began to laugh.

"How could it be, Anne? It's teaching a higher academic level than you or I ever thought about, and it's a position they won't just give to anybody- you _know_ that. The only position higher would be to teach at Redmond itself. You'd be preparing them to be teachers, for heaven's sake- that's a challenge if ever I heard one. And, sweetheart, maybe it's alright that the job isn't in British Columbia right now." he said, his tone gentle. "We'll be far enough apart as it is; I hate to think what it would be like if you were on the other side of Canada. If you really wanted it you know I'd tell you to go for it- but I don't think that you do." Gilbert sighed then, turning to face her on the blanket. "And after everything you've been through in the last few months, maybe it's alright to be content with somewhere familiar."

Anne's look was disgruntled, her eyes following the movement of the leaves in the breeze overhead. "I _do_ want that. And that feels very unadventurous of me."

Gilbert gave a snort of derision. "My darling girl, you shaved years off my life by almost exploring the 'undiscovered country.' It it really adventure you want right now?"

"I suppose I don't, really," she conceded, with a dry chuckle. "And I know that trying to stay in Summerside just to prove a point seems foolish; although I wish I could do more than just send a strongly worded letter."

Gilbert's grin grew. "How strongly worded?"

Anne's grey eyes twinkled into his own. "Very, dearest. It might be described as incendiary." Gilbert laughed, however, he stopped at the short sigh she gave then. "I suppose I should just say no politely."

"Anne, if you did that _I_ would write to them, calling them a pretentious bunch of misogynistic snakes," he said flatly. "What they did is unprofessional, discriminatory and highly disrespectful."

Anne chuckled. "I just wondered if I should expect more of myself than that. Perhaps- perhaps that's the whole question here."

He bent in close so that his brown curls brushed against her forehead, his hazel eyes earnest as they looked into her own. "Anne, without worrying about any other factor, me included- where do _you_ want to be?"

She tipped her head back to look at the horizon. "I want to be at Queens," she said slowly. "I want to teach English, and I would love to work with older students." A breeze carried a dandelion puff across the two of them, and Anne watched it pass wistfully. "Working with Roy last year was so satisfying, Gil- to see results coming from pushing someone with potential a little harder, and hearing back from lecturers that it made a difference to their final grade. The facilities are wonderful, the staff are some of the brightest in their fields- to teach English there with them would be _wonderful_."

Gilbert laughed at that, slipping his bronzed arm under her head fondly. "As opposed to messing around with geometry."

"Exactly." She was quiet for a moment until she admitted- "I wrote the letter to Summerside this morning."

Gilbert looked down at her, puzzled. "But I thought you hadn't made a decision at that point."

"Noooo- I hadn't," Anne said slowly. "I wrote it to see how I felt after I wrote it. And then I sealed it and put a stamp on the envelope." She began to laugh at herself then, snuggling into the warm arm that cradled her so securely. "I suppose I _did_ know what I wanted, really."

Gilbert stroked the hair back from her pale face. "I'm so glad, Anne-girl- although you know I'd back up whatever decision you made. Did the principal say when will you hear back from Queens?"

"It could be as early as Friday, according to Professor Walters. He said he would write either way." She turned her face in to rest against his shoulder then and sighed. "And if I don't get it?"

He kissed her cheek, pulling her tighter into his arms. "Then we deal with that as it comes. It's going to be alright, sweetheart. But if I were to guess, I'd say that this is it." He gave her a broad grin. "Do you think they will call you Professor Shirley?"

Anne smiled. "I think they just might. Can you resign yourself to not marrying _Principal_ Shirley?"

The hand that stroked against her side slid upwards, and Anne smiled at the way Gilbert's smiling face found the curve of her neck, making her sigh at the feel of his warm lips on her skin.

"I don't care what anyone else calls you, as long as I can call you _mine_ , Anne-girl."

She turned to him with a tender look, pulling him so that his warmth lay on her in the cool of the morning, as the light moved into the shady corners of the grove. Lost in each other's touch, long minutes passed in blissful oblivion. Suddenly, Anne pulled away from his beloved face with a breathless start. His hand against her ribs, he raised his head to look at her.

"Did you hear something? I thought I heard someone call-" she whispered, sitting up slightly to look around her.

"That's not possible, no one knows where we are," Gilbert said lazily, but just as he went to reapply himself to Anne's lips, he stopped with a comical look of dismay. He'd heard it that time.

Anne pulled the two of them up with an embarrassed laugh, her hands moving to smooth her skirt, and quickly retying her glossy hair back with a ribbon. "You know, it's the height of arrogance for us to suppose that we alone know where this is," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You and I have been gone for almost four years- _anyone_ else may have laid claim to our places while we were absent."

Gilbert laughed. "Maybe. We should have hidden our hiding spots better." Hearing someone now moving through the trees beyond the copse, he looked down at his shirt, now partially unbuttoned. "How on earth did you do that without me noticing?" he teased Anne in a whisper that made her face a fiery colour. He grinned as he buttoned them swiftly, giving her a kiss on the cheek. His collar was just being straightened when Cora Blythe came through the trees, puffing with the effort of walking, and seemingly oblivious to the flushed cheeks of the young couple sitting beside the fallen tree.

"There the two of you are! According to Marilla, Anne's note said that you were heading for an apple tree, I could only assume you meant this one." She sat down on the broad log with a groan. "Gilbert John Blythe, what were my instructions to you last night?" she said ominously.

Anne choked back a laugh, and the look of alarm on Gilbert's face was priceless. " _What_ , Ma?"

" _I said don't leave me with her_." Cora hissed crossly.

"Look, it can't be eight, yet, mother," he argued. "What's she doing there so early? And I told you I would be back soon, you didn't have to come all the way out here. Come to think of it, how did you even know this tree was here? I only found it a few years ago."

Cora looked at her son, amused. "Who do you think planted it, dear?"

Anne's face lit up, and she looked at Cora with bright eyes. " _You_ planted this?"

The older woman laughed, her eyes fond. "John and I did, yes. It was a little seeding he found in the orchard when he returned from Alberta. I think it may have been the first day you went back to school, Gilbert; when we took some time to go for a walk- you and your father had been gone for so long, and he wanted to see how much the countryside had changed. We hardly needed another apple tree around the place, and you know how your father is about his precious trees- so he insisted on bringing it with us. He planted it here in this unlikely spot, hoping that anyone walking past would be able to eat from it when it was grown." Cora's brown eyes looked around in delight, twinkling when they met those of the couple before her. "And I assume you did."

"You never thought to tell me about it, Ma?" Gilbert said, taken aback.

"And spoil the joy of you discovering it for yourself?" Cora said, innocently. "Certainly not. Besides, if anyone was going to find it, of _course_ it would be the pair of you. I doubt there's a corner in Avonlea you haven't explored." She looked up at the apple tree with a private smile, at the fulfilment of her husband's vision, and her knowledge of the romance deep within John Blythe's heart.

Gilbert shared a glance with Anne, and after talking for a few minutes more with Cora, the two of them began to pack up their picnic. Cora told them of her surprise at Aunt Mary Maria's knock at the door early in the morning, coming across from George and Josephine's house in a fit of indignation. She insisted on a tired David being awoken from a well-deserved slumber to check an injury that had been caused to her foot by Uncle George's dog. Gilbert rolled his eyes. The dog was as mild as they came- if he'd bitten her, he'd been provoked. "I feel sorry for the dog," he grumbled.

"She wouldn't be told by me that it was barely a scratch, either- she made your father wake up Uncle Dave, and told Josephine that it was a dangerous animal, and should be shot."

"Old Duke?" he scoffed. "He's harmless."

"They have no intention of listening to her, Gilbert. Oh, goodness, she's driving your Aunt Jo to distraction. David and Katherine only arrived an hour or so before you got home from Charlottetown last night; he had a pressing case he needed to see before he left. Katherine was terribly cross at Mary Maria for waking him up this morning." Cora gave a little sigh as she stood up. "I'm sorry to cut into your time together, however, your father was concerned that the rain could come early this afternoon and wants to get started early. I said that I would come and get you- partly because I left her in my parlour moaning about the terrible weather here in Avonlea."

Gilbert smiled and gave his mother a brief hug, and he took Anne's hand in his as they walked back towards the marshland together. Anne listened to the two of them talk with half an ear, watching the sinuous contours of the marsh ripple in the breeze. The water curled around the trees and patches of flat grassland, and the smell of the silt and water hung heavily in the air. Anne paused briefly to gather the tiny bell flowers that grew along the fringes of the water, and she smiled as she watched the ducks bobbing in the water for insects. It was with some surprise then, that she heard Gilbert farewelling his mother, telling her he would be home as soon as he had escorted Anne back to Green Gables.

Anne turned to him. "Gil, I can walk home from here, you don't have to see me all the way," she said, gently chastising him.

He grinned, holding her hand tighter. "Can't a fellow simply stay with his girl as long as he can?"

She chuckled, her hand running along his well-muscled arm as they walked. "Of course you can, I just didn't want your mother dealing with everything on her own. She _did_ just walk several miles to find you."

Gilbert's mind had turned again to the evening before them, with his family gathered as they hadn't done in years. "So what do you want us to tell everyone about your job tonight? Do you want anyone to know about Charlottetown yet?"

Anne's voice was practical. "I can tell them that I am waiting to hear back from several schools- there's no need to bring up either school particularly." She gave Gilbert a curious glance. "Do they know that I was sick?" she ventured.

"Mother wrote them all after you'd recovered. She was panicking too much to say anything before then, and well, then we were at Green Gables." He hitched her satchel up on his shoulder as he walked, looking out towards the Haunted Wood in the distance. "Uncle Dave knew everything, I was writing to him before we left Kingsport."

Anne came to a stop in shock. "You discussed it with him?"

He gave a regretful smile. "Uncle Dave knows more about typhoid than anyone I know, I wrote to him for advice, and he asked me to keep him updated. You'll love him, Anne-girl."

The two of them walked back to Green Gables talking contentedly. At its gate, Gilbert leant over to kiss her, his thumb stroking the smoothness of her cheek. Anne smiled up at him, her face dreamy.

"I was just thinking, darling. About our apple tree-"

"You mean my _parent's_ apple tree- I'm not sure how I feel about that- especially with all of the things I dreamed that we would do there," Gilbert said, with an amused look.

"Oh, I think it's still ours, Gil. Didn't you hear what your mother said?" Anne's smile was luminous as she looked up at him. "It was planted on your first day back at school."

Gilbert's smile widened. "The day I met you."

"The day I broke a slate over your precious head."

He began to laugh, drawing his arms around her. "Forever changing my life for the better, sweetheart." He lifted her hands to his lips and then stepped away with a sigh. "I'll be here to get you this afternoon, Mother suggested I get you there before the hoards arrive." He caught the uncertainty on her face, and shook his head. "They'll love you, sweetheart. I've been nagged at every reunion since I was fourteen about when I'm going to find myself a girl; when Mother wrote them at Christmas the family nearly fell apart with excitement. They can't wait to meet you," he said with a proud grin.

"Even Aunt Mary Maria?" Anne teased, making him laugh. His eyes twinkled at her in the morning sunlight.

"You know, sweetheart, I think you'll be more than a match for her."

* * *

The Blythe kitchen was a bustle of activity when Gilbert ushered Anne in through the front door that afternoon. Anne was bewildered to have an apron thrust over her pretty, yellow dress as soon as Cora gave her a quick hug, and was immediately given a stack of plates to take into the dining room. Gilbert was sent to get something in the attic and came back to find his fiancee receiving more instructions from his very flustered mother. When Cora turned back to the stove, he gave Anne a reassuring smile, and quietly pulled her back into the dining room, closing the door behind them. To his amusement, Anne's grey eyes were enormous as she looked up at him.

"Gil, hadn't I better go and help? I've never _seen_ your mother like that!"

He took both of her hands in his, his look contented. "Don't worry, she's always like this when the family is here. Just watch Dad and I- we don't get rattled by it. I wanted you to have a moment before you come and meet someone."

Anne's eyebrow rose in challenge. "I thought I had to meet rather a _lot_ of people, Gil."

He laughed. "You do- but Uncle Dave and Aunt Katherine are special. You'll see." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and led her down the hall to the parlour, where Anne could hear soft voices. She looked in wonder at the big smile on Gilbert's face and turned to meet the couple sitting on the settee. Anne's breath was temporarily taken when a man uncannily like an older version of Gilbert's father rose to take her hand in his. It was the same twinkling smile and hazel eyes, and Anne could not help but give him a big smile in response.

"Anne, this is Uncle Dave and Aunt Katherine; and _this_ ," he said with a proud look that made her blush, "is my Anne."

Uncle Dave took her hand in his and looked at her warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear. _Now_ , how are you?" he asked critically. "How long ago did the fever subside?"

Anne laughed. "Around five weeks ago, Dr Blythe."

He shook his head, amused. "No, I think you need to call me Uncle Dave. Shouldn't she, Katherine?"

The lady beside him gave a hearty laugh. "Oh, certainly, dear. And please, call me Aunt Katherine as well." Anne's eyes were sparkling as she found herself tucked beside Gilbert's aunt. "Now, you are well, and gaining weight properly? We were terribly worried for you with the typhoid, dear. Gilbert kept us as informed as best as he could."

Anne gave Gilbert a saucy glance, almost laughing at the way he coloured. She turned to the couple with an irresistible twinkle in her eyes. "Well, the doctor believes the case was- relatively speaking- a mild one, with none of the secondary complications they had feared. Dr Telmann said that although rhonchi were heard in the lower lung bases initially, it didn't develop into any respiratory distress. The bradycardia and general malaise subsided after the fever dropped, and the rash faded just a few days later. Since the fever ended, I have regained a lot of the weight that I lost while I was ill, am still being encouraged to rest each day, and am currently being hounded with food from every kitchen in the kingdom."

Doctor Blythe began to laugh, most especially at the smug look on Gilbert's face. "Excellently done, Anne! I couldn't report better myself."

"Nor I," Gilbert said comfortably. "And that was after I practically memorised all the textbooks I had."

Anne's smile was cheeky. "Well, I had to spend weeks listening to everyone discussing my case, dearest. It's only natural that I should remember what you all spoke about. Besides, I believe your experience with me will help you a good deal when it comes time to learn about it at medical school."

To her surprise, a shadow seemed to fall over Gilbert's face, and he gave her a rather serious smile. "I rather think that I will have to force myself to forget what it was like to see you like that, when I study it, Anne-girl."

Her look was gentle as she moved to his side, unaware of the way the older couple watched them both. They watched her comfort him quietly, and Katherine gave her husband a knowing smile.

"Well, we're so happy to know that it's all over, dear," she said, her voice soft. "Gilbert has told us so much about you, Anne; we feel as if we know you already. And we are very much looking forward to meeting your household, this week."

Anne's smile was big as Gilbert's arm slipped around her waist. At this point that Cora came into the room, a harassed expression on her normally calm face. "Oh, goodness; she's insisting that I remove onion from all of the dishes- we can't _possibly_ -"

At this Aunt Katherine rose to her feet, her mouth firm, and cheeks bright with colour. "Cora, dear, don't worry; I'll handle this." She stalked out past Gilbert's mother, leaving Doctor Dave laughing.

He turned to Anne then with a Blythe-like grin. "Well, they do say that family brings out the best and worst in all of us."

Just then there was a large commotion at the front door, that made Gilbert and Anne look at each other in consternation. Uncle Dave looked at the young couple with a twinkling smile. "Speaking of family, I believe everyone has just arrived. Are you ready to face the masses?"

Gilbert shot a look at Anne, and he grinned at the way her chin rose, her clear grey-green eyes meeting his evenly. When Cora and Uncle Dave stepped into the hall, Anne swiftly turned and brought herself into Gilbert's arms, and kissing him soundly. She pulled away with a flirtatious look over her shoulder that made his heart yet again slam in his chest.

"Ready when _you_ are, Mr Blythe."

Her yellow skirts swirled as she turned, and Gilbert stood watching her go in shock, a big smile breaking over his face.

No, he should have known he had nothing to be concerned about.

Anne Shirley was more than a match for _anyone_.


	45. Chapter 45, Meet the Blythes

**Hello, my reading peeps, a quick note before we begin: there was some confusion as to exactly what kind relation Aunt Mary Maria was: I discovered to my shock that AoI clearly states that she is John Blythe's cousin. In previous chapters I referred to her as Gil's great Aunt, however, I will amend those when I have time- from this point on she is just that! Thank you for all of your thoughtful reviews and comments, you make me dance, lovely people.**

 **Cate.**

* * *

 **Chapter 45**

Anne had never seen the Blythe home so full of people before. Long trestle tables and chairs had been set up on the back lawn for the meal they would be sitting down to soon, and every room hummed with the sound of happy people talking. Anne and Gilbert were separated within a minute, and Anne found herself tucked under Cora's arm, being introduced to her own brother's family. As each person was named, Anne discovered that she had a rather perplexing problem. Almost every name was connected to a story about her future husband and his childhood mischief- and remembering the thirteen-year-old boy she had met, Anne was trying to keep herself from giving into the laughter that was at least partially to do with her own strained nerves.

"Anne, dearie, this is my brother Stephen, he and his wife Alexandra live in New Brunswick, as do their children, Toby and Emily-"

Anne tried to suppress the little choke of laughter that bubbled up. In her mind was a list of all that Gilbert had done to his beloved family, the stories that both he and Cora had told her over the years. The impish voice in the back of her mind gave a running commentary that tested her countenance terribly.

 _Toby- Gilbert dared him to eat a jar of pickled onions just before his sister's christening… threw up at the altar while_ _five-year-old Gil looked on with glee…. Emily- made her cry by telling her that her doll was sick and needed to be buried immediately._

To Anne's thankfulness, Gilbert's Uncle Stephen was happy to step aside for Cora to move her on, however as the group around her got bigger, Anne's struggle for composure only grew worse.

"This is Cousin Mary and her daughters, Rebecca and Tabitha-"

 _Cousin Mary, Gilbert stole her hairpiece at the dinner table when the minister was calling, at seven years old-_

"And Marcus of course; now, did you meet him when he visited Gilbert last Autumn in Kingsport? No, wait, dear, I'm mistaken, that was just before you went back to Redmond."

 _And little Marcus, who helped Gilbert feed the old milk cow whisky from Mrs Blythe's medicine chest, setting the poor creature drunk-_

As Anne met twelve more family members within the next few minutes from both Cora and John's families, she couldn't keep the twinkle in her eye hidden; meeting the cousins he had pushed in the creek, the Aunt whose dog he had taken up the tree house and then couldn't get down; and the great Uncle who leaned over to whisper to Anne that mischief tended to run in families- so he hoped that _she_ had been a saint.

Finding herself alone for a few seconds, Anne slipped into the nearby closeted pantry and gave into the laughter that she had been trying so hard to repress. Oh, she had seen the adorable pictures of Gilbert on the mantelpiece, the unruly curls that Mrs Blythe had attempted to coax into submission. She had known what a lively boy he had been, and knew the good, upright heart he must have had even then- she remembered how quickly he had tried to apologise to her after the slate. Standing here in his house, seeing his family gathered all around her, there was a joy that bubbled up in her heart, as much as the laughter that would not remain contained any longer.

The door to the pantry opened, and it was Gilbert's face that looked in, searching for Anne and puzzled at the unexpected sound of laughter coming from within. Quickly, Anne pulled him inside and shut the door, wiping the tears from her face. With sparkling eyes, she threw her arms around him.

"Never change, dearest; promise me that."

He grinned, holding her close. "Just what's so funny? And is there a reason you're hiding in the pantry, Anne-girl?"

She looked up at him with a chuckle. "It's your fault, my love. You've told me so many stories over the years, that when I meet these people that's all I can think about- and I didn't want them to think that I was crazy if I laughed in front of them without warning. Your exploits are legendary, Gil."

Gilbert's eyebrow rose, and he smiled wickedly. "Then would you like to meet Uncle Angus? When I was eight I gave Dad's pipe to his prize goat and lit it."

Anne was still choking back her astonishment when the door opened again, this time with Cora's bewildered face looking at the giggling pair.

"For heaven's sake, what are you doing in here, hiding like little children?" she scolded, ushering the two of them out and into the empty kitchen. "I've sent them all out to the- _Oo-oh_ , Mary, I'm afraid I didn't see you there," Cora said in consternation, coming to an abrupt halt.

Anne looked in frank curiosity at John Blythe's cousin. She was a little woman with big, pale blue eyes, white hair and pink cheeks, and looked as sweet and innocent as a baby. She was removing her wrap as she stood in the kitchen, her face carefully smiling.

"Well, I did expect John or Gilbert to be there to take our coats at the door- although it seems they are both- _otherwise_ occupied," she said with a theatrical sigh, casting a quick look over Gilbert and the red-head he was holding _most_ inappropriately.

"Aunt Mary Maria, this is Miss Anne Shirley, Gilbert's lovely fiancee," Cora said, with a false note of brightness in her voice. The woman looked Anne up and down rudely, and Anne's smile grew rigid under her examination.

"Well, dear, Gilbert always chose something out of the common, I suppose," she said at last. "I thought that there a Gillis girl he was interested in, Cora?"

At this Cora put on an artificial smile, looking with some alarm at the terse look on Gilbert's face. "No, Mary, just our Anne. Now, won't you come and greet the rest of the family? You were saying how much you wanted to speak with Cousin Mary earlier-"

The lips pursed, and she placed her coat over a chair delicately. "I don't see why she couldn't have visited me earlier in the day; it isn't as if she had anything better to do here in Avonlea."

"Well, Mary is outside on the veranda with the children, where we will be eating-"

"Outside?" she asked frigidly.

Cora undid the apron at her waist and drew in a calming breath. "Yes. The clan is rather big now, and there is no way that we could all be seated inside the house. I can assure you that you will be quite comfortable; John has been hard at work lighting the back yard with lanterns. You know how the young crowd love a good celebration in the fresh air."

There was a sniff and carefully timed silence before Mary Maria commented on how _lovely_ it was to eat outside, ' _where the animals were'._

At this, Gilbert gave an angelic grin. "Well, Aunt Mary Maria, we won't keep you away from the loveliness of the great outdoors, then. Do you require any assistance to walk outside?"

As expected, the blue eyes narrowed coldly, and she informed him that she was _quite_ well enough to walk outside on her own.

The door closed behind her, and Cora rounded on Gilbert anxiously. "Gilbert, I _did_ ask you not to provoke her this time; it's bad enough that your father will insist on tormenting her-" she closed her eyes, hearing her unmistakable tone coming from the back door. "Oh, and now she's started on the poor children-" she flew towards the back door, leaving a startled Anne behind her.

Anne turned to Gilbert, her look droll. " _Well_. So that is Mary Maria Blythe."

He sighed, ruffling his brown curls. "Yes. I should have bitten my tongue though- she always retaliates." He turned to her then, wrapping her in his arms tightly. "Everyone adores you, sweetheart; Uncle Dave told me that you were the most remarkable young lady he has met since he met Aunt Katherine- and that's the highest praise he can give."

Anne smiled. "You have a wonderful family, dearest, and they adore you, mischief and all." There was a brief silence, and she looked up at him with a little sigh. "Are you sorry that you can't do this with my family?"

Gilbert looked at her consideringly. "Do you mean your parents or Marilla?"

Anne's look was dreamy. "Oh, meeting a big group of people as my intended, putting on the charm like I've seen you do so often-"

"That charm is completely sincere, I'll have you know-"

She laughed. "I _would_ have liked to see that, Gil. And you didn't have to meet Marilla, you already knew her."

He turned her to walk out of the front door, smiling at her puzzled look. "I think we could use a few minutes alone, this way is longer. And I did have to get to know her. You should have seen how nervous I was the first time I came to Green Gables to study. I couldn't tell if she liked me or not."

Anne looked at him thoughtfully. "Oh, she liked you all along, Gil. She thought I had been most unreasonable about my grudge- although I heard her laughing to Matthew about the slate incident itself."

"And then I had to win over Davy and Dora-"

"-who adore you-"

"And Mrs Lynde, who has known me ever since I was born." He chuckled, as they paused in the dusky light around the corner from the gathered family. "No, I think you were the hardest one to win over, Anne-girl."

She looked up at him with a twinkling smile. "Well, I couldn't make it too easy for you- I know that you Blythes like to work hard for what you want."

He pulled her close into the shadows with a big smile to kiss her, and the two of them forgot for a brief moment the group that awaited them- until Gilbert noticed his father's gentle cough. A blushing Anne smiled sheepishly at being caught in Gilbert's arms yet again.

"I wondered where the two of you had gone," he said mildly. "Gil, your mother is in a bit of a state, you'd better go and talk with your guests."

Anne and Gilbert walked around the corner, with Gilbert laughing at John's attempt to ruffle his hair as he used to when he was a boy. The guests were scattered over the garden talking happily. The roses had bloomed early this year, and the fragrance of them wafted pleasingly over the gathering. Anne stood with Gilbert talking with various family members, and she smiled as without fail, they each asked her about her future plans. Gilbert's grin was knowing, and Anne had to bite back a laugh to answer the questions with due attention. She could see Mary Maria Blythe working her way around the group, and gave a little sigh. Well, she _had_ been warned that winning her over was unlikely. Anne looked away, determined to not allow her displeasure to taint the evening. There were times she heard the little comments the older woman would give the family, the unpleasant little digs that made Cora flinch. Suddenly she straightened up in indignation, hearing Mary Maria's comment on her surprise at Gilbert's quick courtship with herself- and what had she just called her? _Annie_?

Gilbert kept talking with his Uncle George, however, his hand found hers with a gentle squeeze and a wink that she almost missed. She drew in a deep breath. Every family had someone like that, she supposed. She chuckled, wondering if that person in her own unknown family had been a Shirley or a Willis? As she looked around, she saw the children playing in the wilder part of the garden, where paper lanterns were strung under the biggest of the beech trees. Gilbert noticed her slipping away, smiling as he saw her heading towards the children. Now _that_ was his girl.

Almost half an hour later Cora and Aunt Josephine had pulled the steaming pots and platters of homey food outside to the big tables, and parents started to look around for the small children. At his mother's question, Gilbert stepped down towards his old playhouse, beaming at the sight that met him. Anne was sitting in the middle of the children with a two-year-old Adam sitting in her lap, her eyes bright as she told the children a story, her arms mimicking the movement of trees in the wind. Several of the adults had come down to watch the pretty scene with pleasure, however when the children saw their parents the story time was broken up instantly. Gilbert picked up Adam with a grin, holding a hand out to help Anne off the ground. Unmindful of the sniff Mary Maria gave, he kissed her cheek and had her hand in his as they walked up to the veranda to hand Adam to his beaming little mother.

"You know this is how to win over my family, don't you?" he said to her with a soft smile.

"No, that's how you win over _children_ -" she said cheekily. "Oh, Gil, they're such darlings."

* * *

Dinner was a noisy affair, and when the meal was done, the young children were settled in the parlour for a story with Uncle Stephen's Emily to watch over them. Anne watched in amusement as the talk then turned to Gilbert. As the darkness fell, and the adults sat outside under the lamplight, his recent accomplishments at Redmond and the Cooper Prize were much discussed, as was the general surprise that the naughtiest boy in the clan turned out to have a head for schoolwork. When Anne was asked if she knew of his reputation, she couldn't help but laugh. She met Gilbert's twinkling eyes and turned back to Marcus with a grin. Within a few lines, Anne sketched the beginning of their acquaintance, until Marcus choked on the water that Cora had just handed him.

" _You're_ the slate girl?" he wheezed, and Anne covered her face with a small groan.

Gilbert pulled her hands down, turning to his cousin with a little smile. "I deserved it. I swear it was the last time I ever tried anything like that."

When the talk moved to other family members, Gilbert turned to see Anne watching him thoughtfully.

"It's funny, Gil. The older we get, the more I understand of those days," Anne said softly. "I can only imagine where you would have been at that time. You were behind your age group because you were away, maybe a little afraid you would never catch up- and perhaps afraid you wouldn't fit in back at school. And so when you came back, you did what you used to do before you left, the things that I suspect made you a bit of a hero to the other boys."

His eyes were serious as he regarded her. "I suppose you're right. What made you see it now?"

She chuckled. "Oh, being a teacher for one, and being a sister to my lad Davy- and from knowing you," she said simply.

He looked across at his father, remembering the days after they had returned when a cough was enough to bring him sprinting from any room in the house, from the bedroom he barely recognised. His mother had been distressed by the way he would automatically begin to boil water on the stove, and many times she had shooed him from the kitchen quite sharply, telling him to go outside and play. It had taken months for him to understand that his parents wanted him to go back to _normal_ \- whatever that was. He found that he couldn't simply turn off the crushing responsibility that had been his for three years- somehow feeling alien in his own house, his own town- and at that stage, even in his own body. School had been a terrifying prospect- he was tall for thirteen, and yet he couldn't keep up with the work that the eleven-year-olds were doing. His friends had been puzzled when he was put with the younger children- and a deep shame had burned inside him. He remembered the way he had looked around for a way to distract himself- and while he was pinning Ruby's hair to her chair, he'd looked into the clearest pair of grey-green eyes he'd ever seen.

He looked into those eyes that were now filled with love and mischief, and raised her hand to his lips, irrespective of the other family members watching them with interest. "It was worth it," he said with a tender look at Anne.

The moment was immediately broken when Marcus and Toby began teasing Gilbert about giving up a life of mayhem to become a good citizen for the sake of the red-headed beauty beside him, and asking her if she was prepared to put up with his pranks all the days of her life. Gilbert took the ribbing in good humour, well aware that Anne loved and knew both sides of him. The talk flowed easily, and Anne listened in interest as Gilbert and the other adults began to discuss the various histories of the family.

* * *

It was late when Gilbert drove Anne home that night, after farewelling those who were staying at White Sands and Carmody. They would all be back at the farm on Friday night for the _non_ -official engagement party, along with the Barrys and Wrights, and the Green Gables folk. As they walked up the verandah steps, Anne gave an enormous yawn and was pulled into Gilbert's arms.

"Well, my family loved you, sweetheart," he commented with a little smile. "Just as I knew they would. Now, are you sure you don't want to come to White Sands with me tomorrow? Marcus asked if I would be able to show them around, and Dad wants to come for a drive as well. Mother wants the house to herself to recover from tonight, I think."

Anne chuckled, her arms tightly around Gilbert's waist, relishing the warmth of his chest through his cotton shirt. "I think I must say no, beloved. Marilla has asked if I can help her with the preserves from the blue plum tomorrow- which is her way of saying that she would like to spend some time with me."

"And I have taken a lot of your time, lately," Gilbert said, his voice apologetic.

Anne raised herself up to kiss his chin with a smile. "You didn't take it, I _gave_ that time to you, Gil. And I'm not sorry. We're just a little caught right now- our families each want us, and we need to be together, as well."

Gilbert sighed, holding her close. "The next three years will be like this, I suppose. And we're lucky that they're all kindred spirits and understand."

Anne began to laugh at that. " _Almost_ everyone, Gil." She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. "I don't believe that Aunt Mary Maria likes me, darling."

His grin was contagious. "It's alright. We don't think she likes any of us."

* * *

On Wednesday evening after a day at White Sands, Gilbert arrived back at Green Gables for supper with a big grin, armed with candy for the twins, a pretty bracelet for Anne, and seeds for Marilla and Rachel's respective gardens. Anne teased him about the sunburnt nose he presented, unsurprised to find that he had wandered the shore for an hour while his father had checked on some supplies that he had ordered earlier that summer. He had kissed her own shapely nose before sitting down with the family to their meal, talking happily and holding Anne's hand tightly in his. As he looked at her beside him, he could see in his mind's eye the house he had spotted that day.

In the two years he had spent at White Sands, he'd grown fond of the town. A bigger centre than either Avonlea or Carmody, with two distinct characters- the town of the transient summer population who visited the many resorts and hotels in search of entertainment, and that of the smaller population of permanent residents. Gilbert knew the town better in the quieter seasons and had never failed to marvel at the change he saw in the shore during the busy summer. While Marcus and his family sipped tea on the wide verandas, Gilbert had spied a lone white house sitting up on the hill that intrigued him. In his walk that afternoon, he had gone to investigate it better. Nestled beside a dark wood, with a low white fence around it, Gilbert studied the house with delight. It was entirely coincidental that he had always imagined bringing Anne home to a little house like this one. She would work in the overgrown garden like those he saw behind the house; she would watch for him from the gabled windows and dance along the narrow pathways, her finger held tightly by a chubby-cheeked angel taking his- or _her_ first steps on the soft grass. He stood at the ivy-covered gate for some time, dreaming of the life that they would be building in just a few, short years.

Now, he smiled, listening with one ear to the family's discussions- Marilla's dry observations, Dora's soft voice sounding where she might least be heard; Davy's arms waving to show the dimensions of the eel that he and Milty had caught that day, and Mrs Lynde offering advice freely to all, unaware that no one was listening. Wrapped up in the family that had cared for and nurtured his girl, Gilbert watched her talking animatedly, dreaming all the while of an unknown home on a hill where they would one day raise their own family.

* * *

On Thursday evening, Cora looked at the family group gathered around the dining room table nervously. David and Katherine were both at ease talking with Gilbert's fiancee, and Mary Maria had seated herself at John's right hand: having commented with some acerbity that _surely_ the family could spare some time for her to visit with her nearest kin. That she had a sister with whom she was currently not speaking was conveniently ignored, and Cora had set another place at the table with a scowl that only her beloved cat Moppet ever saw.

Mary Maria had turned up earlier that afternoon, and while sitting at the kitchen table to supervise Cora's dinner preparations, she had amused herself by commenting on Gilbert's far-fetched ambitions, questioning whether his heart could really be in this idea of marriage with _dear_ Annie- perhaps he thought the orphan girl needed to grow up a little in the intervening time- playing with the children, over being properly inspected by the Blythe family, indeed. John had patiently- and then _not_ so patiently explained that the delay was necessary for the time being, and that it said nothing of his son's commitment to his young fiancee. She had then inspected Cora's kitchen, warning her that eggs were only to be placed on the _lower_ shelf and that she was sure she had seen a mouse in there earlier that day. As at least five cats were in sight of Cora when she said this, she felt it reasonably safe to roll her eyes at the statement.

Now, Mary Maria was viewing Anne with a beady blue eye, and Cora sighed. She'd ask for Anne's help to clear away after dinner, perhaps that would remove her from the bitter old woman's sights. Mealtimes were always difficult with the older woman; only too well did Cora remember her own introduction to the Blythe family so many years ago. John had done his best to shield his new bride from her, the cousin who felt herself misused by the family, misused by life- who did _not_ appreciate any attention going to the woman who had just taken over her grandmother's kitchen.

In the middle of Aunt Katherine asking Anne about her college experiences as a co-ed, Mary Maria gave a little, unbelieving laugh. "Annie, dear, don't you think it would have been more useful to spend your time learning to keep a home, rather than four years studying goodness knows what with the gentlemen? Some might think it _unladylike_ to attempt to prove yourself in a man's domain."

All attention turned to Anne, and she drew in a breath and smiled pleasantly. She could see the strained look on everyone's faces, and that Gilbert's hand had clenched tightly around his fork.

"Miss Blythe, I am very grateful for the education opportunities available for women today- I think it a privilege to be offered the chance to learn more about the world around us. Co-education enables men and women to learn together, and be given equal opportunities to further our own knowledge, and to _contribute_ as well to the greater understanding."

"And yet some might feel that a woman who trains with the men might lack the more feminine accomplishments." she said acidly.

"Come now, Mary; that kind of talk is outdated at best-" Doctor Dave said, impatiently. "I see nothing unfeminine about knowledge."

Anne watched the blue eyes suddenly sharpen in anger, and then strangely, the shoulders dropped, and her voice began to quiver. "Of course, I realise that _modern_ schools place far more emphasis on boys and girls trying to outdo each other-"

Gilbert's smile was forced. "And yet when women entered the academic arena, men found bright minds that inspired us to harder work, new ways of seeing the world."

Anne smiled at him, and as she laid a calming hand on the arm that was corded with tension she gave a steady look to Aunt Mary Maria. "And while I can not speak for every woman who enters university, those I worked with closely were intelligent, ladylike women with whom it was a delight to spend four years."

The older woman daintily wiped her lips on the napkin by her plate and arranged the cutlery beside her to a precise angle. "I do question though, Annie dear, if a husband and family would _prefer_ a woman who is a ladylike and competent manager of a home-"

Anne's voice was still pleasant. "Would education not assist in the proper management of a home?"

Miss Blythe's lips thinned. "I only wonder if someday Gilbert would feel some _disappointment_ in your choice to neglect proper-"

At this, a fed-up Gilbert's fork was placed on the table with a bang that made both his mother and fiancee flinch. "This is _not_ -" he began hotly, before Anne's foot trod on his under the table, and his father cleared his throat and looked at his cousin. "Mary, I think we can all agree that the opportunity to learn is a good thing- and that everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the subject. I remember Anne spurring Gilbert to do his best work ever since their schooldays together- and I don't believe that stopped when they were at university." He pushed his chair back from the table after that unexpectedly long speech and placed his napkin on the table. "Now, David, how was your heart patient when you left him on Monday?"

The rest of the meal was conducted with all due propriety, however, Anne felt those calculating blue eyes on her as they ate. As she concentrated on Mrs Blythe's perfectly trimmed leg of lamb, she imagined the looks on Phil, Stella and Priscilla's faces at Miss Blythe's words. Hadn't Gilbert once said to her that all pioneers were considered to be afflicted with moonstruck madness? They had all been subject such words before, as had the other women within the university. Surreptitiously she glanced across at a reserved Gilbert, and gave him a little wink, much to his surprise. There was little Mary Maria could do to unsettle her personally; indeed she had more concern for the look of shame the others had all displayed at her tactless words.

The mood lightened when Cora ushered her guests into the sitting room to wait for the dainty coffee cake that was her speciality. She drew in a breath of relief at seeing Anne's usual good humour as they made up the tea tray and cleared the table together. Gilbert was more obviously ruffled, and Cora sent him on an errand outside to get some mint for Katherine's tea; uneasily hoping that he would be able to maintain his temper that night. As she moved to wheel her mother's tea trolley into the cozy room, she smiled at the way Gilbert lingered to give his fiancee a sweet kiss, before following with the napkins that had been embroidered by Alice Blythe. She stopped suddenly in the doorway of the sitting room at the sound of Mary Maria's voice, her own temporarily taken.

"David, I think you ought to be saying _something_ to Gilbert- forming an alliance with someone so sickly and frail, who hardly looks sturdy enough to bear him a child-"

In a nightmarish moment, John Blythe turned to see his horrified wife standing frozen in the doorway, a Gilbert who was shaking with fury, and much to his pain, Anne's white face behind them, who had clearly heard every word.

His voice barely rose, however all in and outside the room obeyed instantly.

"Gil, I think you should take Anne for some fresh air right _now_. Cora and Katherine, if you could give us a minute, please."

Moments later, Gilbert had whisked Anne out onto the front lawns, holding her so closely she could hardly breathe. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry-"

"Gil-" she gasped. He realised how tightly he'd been holding her, and loosened his grip with another apology. Anne's eyes shut, wincing at the sound of Gilbert's father's enraged voice echoing through the quiet night. Gilbert took her hand and walked them through the front gate, only pausing at the entrance to the Haunted Wood.

"Anne, I-" his words then failed him, and he pulled her to him again, his hand stroking her soft, red hair. "Anne, if I'd known that she-"

She pulled her face away to look at him, some calm returning to her. "It's alright, Gil-"

At this, anger covered his features again, and he spoke sharply. "Anne, that was _not_ alright-"

Her hands were on his face then, and she pressed her warmth against him. "Darling, stop, please." She looked at him, yearning to make him see. "You can't stop people from saying such things, you know that. You used to tell me that I cared too much about people liking me; remember?"

He gave a slight chuckle at that. "I guess I did."

She smiled at him then, and even at that moment, he felt a wave of gratitude for the girl who responded as no one else could. "I admit those are words I tend to hear in my nightmares; however, you warned me that she would be like this. It doesn't matter what she says." At this, his lips tightened, and Anne gave Gilbert a twisted smile. "Do you remember what Professor Ellison from the Philosophy department used to say- that neither flattery nor censure should affect the individual who knows who he really is?"

He sighed and cuddled her to him then, his hands stroking up and down her back for long minutes. When he finally moved, he took her face in his hands to kiss her firmly. "I won't subject you to that again, Anne."

To his surprise, she laughed. "I have had worse said about me, Gil-"

"And that's why I won't let you go through that again!" he said, his voice fierce.

"No, that's why I know that it can't hurt me," Anne said patiently. " _You_ love me, no matter what anyone says, as will Marilla, the twins, Di and the girls, and your parents. I don't need to let her have that kind of power over me. I won't allow that." She smiled then, her eyes twinkling. "I _did_ like seeing you ready to blow up like a volcano to protect me, though, darling."

He laughed, now hearing voices move to the veranda and soft footsteps coming toward them. His arm around her, he turned to see Cora and Katherine reaching out to enfold Anne in their arms at the same time, and found himself entangled in the embrace as well. Cora then turned to Gilbert.

"David is walking her back to George and Josephine's house now. She said that she didn't mean to be offensive-" here she rolled her eyes at the low growl from Gilbert- "However, your father has told her that she needs to apologise to Anne on Friday night- he didn't feel you should be subjected to that tonight, dear." She straightened up with a stern look. "Now, come inside, some congenial company and a rather exquisite coffee cake should banish the unpleasantness of the evening. Gilbert, would you walk Aunt Katherine inside now, dear?"

When the two of them had gone ahead, Cora turned to raise a gentle hand to Anne's cheek. "I'm terribly sorry that you had to be there for that, dear. Please don't take her opinions to heart-"

Away from Gilbert, Anne let her smile falter a little. "I know. And it shouldn't affect me, I know that."

"But she is never allowed to make you feel the way she did tonight." She led Anne back through the front gate, her arm firmly in her own. "And if you catch yourself thinking there is any substance to her ill-judged words, talk to me, talk to David- he will tell you what utter nonsense it is. I've never seen him so angry, dear."

Anne gave a shaky laugh. "I never knew that Mr Blythe could be so furious."

Cora chuckled then. "Oh, it's happened before, dear." She gave Anne the impish look that her son had inherited from her family. "You see, he's had some practice with this. The last time was when she tried it on me."

When Anne entered the sitting room to meet the rest of the family, her cheeks were still slightly pink and Gilbert put his arm around her shoulders lovingly. He looked at her in question, satisfied with the clear glance she gave him, and the ready way she entered into the conversation.

As David entered the cosy room with a smug look, John Blythe accepted the cup of tea from Cora with a slight smile. He really _should_ have remained calm, especially since Anne had held her own with complete dignity. He could have spoken to his cousin at another time, and merely asked her to not mention such things again. As he sipped the tea, he thought of the tightly pinched face that was almost purple with shock, and of the way David had marched her short little legs out of the back door towards the Fletcher's homestead. Yes, he certainly could have handled things differently.

But by George, it was _satisfying_.


	46. Chapter 46, The ties that Bind

**Thank you for your reading and your reviews! I'm so thankful for you all. I'm glad you liked that John took on Mary Maria, I wrestled all the way with who could/should do it, and finally thought nope- let's get the authority in the family to do it! We're not quite done with her yet; as I recall, we were going to a party...**

 **I can say this with some certainty, now.**

 **There will be exactly 48 chapters.**

 **There are two more to go.**

 **You are heroes for following me all this way on this tale, and I'm preparing some very gushy thank-yous for all of you.**

 **And there may be some surprises in the wings….**

 **Love, Cate.**

* * *

 **Chapter 46**

On the morning of the engagement party, Green Gables was a hive of activity. Marilla and Mrs Lynde were working busily over the pies and cookies to go in the oven, and Anne was searching the house looking for the linens and serving platters that Mrs Blythe would be needing. Diana was bringing flowers from her own garden to add to those Mrs Blythe had collected the day before, and even Mr Barry was enlisted in gathering long tendrils of ivy to place on the tables. Despite the fact that the party had somewhat been thrust on Anne and Gilbert, there was an air of excitement around both houses, and the couple in question looked forward to a night to celebrate with family and friends.

When the pile of tablecloths that Marilla wanted had been pulled from the linen press, Anne floated into her bedroom idly. On her desk lay several open newspapers, with various markings to indicate teaching positions that were vacant. Anne had driven to Carmody only the day before to collect the papers from the mainland, and now she stood looking at them thoughtfully. There were several smaller schools on the island in need of teachers, a high school in Apple River- here she paused with a dreamy smile to imagine the delight of living in such a place- and then she gave a wry chuckle, as she found one advertisement for an available school in British Columbia. It would not do to tease Gilbert about that one. Anne gave a little shiver at the sheer distance, praying that such a trip would not become necessary. It had crossed her mind that if she were required to present herself for an interview, that more of the precious month they had together could be eaten up in travel- that she could have to leave sooner than either she or Gilbert had anticipated.

Resolutely she folded the papers up and moved to sit by her window, determined to enjoy the day before her. She folded her arms against the white window sill and studied the landscape with eager eyes. August had begun, and soon the nearby fields would be ripe for harvest. The wind blew the filmy curtains out behind her, and she lifted her head with a smile, feeling the warmth on her face and the faintest scent of the nearby shore whispering around her. In amongst the bustle of the day and the concern for the future, she had been making time to find rest for her soul- a five minute walk into the wood for daisies, a short excursion down a winding path with her new journal, or to bask in the sunshiny lower fields, dotted about with fire coloured poppies and the rich blue of cornflowers. Now, as she sat by her window, she studied the movement of the clouds, completely missing the young man who was tearing through the landscape and leaping the gate, intent on getting to the house as fast as long legs could take him.

Downstairs, the women looked up in shock as Gilbert came thudding through the front door with all the exuberance that the twelve-year-old Davy often displayed.

Mrs Lynde turned to meet him in shock, the dishcloth dangling in her hand. "Gilbert Blythe, what on earth does this mean?" she said severely. "Are you trying to give us all heart failure?"

He was still catching his breath from his flight when the real twelve-year-old boy almost bounced off the door frame in a similar state, making Gilbert wheeze with laughter. Marilla sighed in exasperation at this violent intrusion into her kitchen. "David Keith! There is no need to be running into the house-"

Youth was on Davy's side, and he recovered his voice first. "But I just saw Gilbert do the same thing!" he said, injured. "Does he get into trouble for it too?"

Gilbert straightened up with a twinkle in his eyes. "I already did."

Marilla only rolled her eyes and set down the pan she had just oiled. "And what brings the two of you thundering in here like a hurricane?"

"Milty wants me to go fishing down at the bridge- his ma packed lunch for us both," Davy said, hardly drawing a breath.

When Marilla looked to Gilbert, he smiled sheepishly. "And I need to talk to Anne. Can I borrow her for a time?"

The older woman gave him a tolerant look. "I suppose so; I sent her upstairs half an hour ago, no doubt she is still somewhere up there daydreaming."

Gilbert moved towards the stairs automatically but was stopped by Marilla's gentle cough and the amused look on her face. "Or- or maybe I'll just wait until she comes downstairs," he said, a deep flush burning on his face. "Err- sorry, Marilla. Old habits."

Marilla couldn't hold back her chuckle and then turned to Davy. "Would you go and call Anne, Davy? Then you may go with Milty."

Her words had barely finished when Davy's voice hollered from where he stood. "AAANNE, GILBERT'S HERE FOR YOOOUU-"

Gilbert was laughing as Marilla gave an exasperated sigh. "Well, I could have done that," she muttered, and turned to Gilbert. "Do you need a lunch packed for you as well?"

He grinned. "No, I have to be home in a while, but I need to discuss something urgent with her. Oh, and I brought your mail, as well."

He dropped the bundle on the table just as Anne ran lightly down the stairs, and he grabbed her hand with a grin as soon as she crossed the threshold to the kitchen. "Will you come somewhere with me?"

Marilla was already waving the pair out of the kitchen as Davy tore out of the door, calling a goodbye to everyone on the way.

Anne called after him- "Davy, be sure to be home by four-", turning then to Gilbert with a loving smile. "Well! This is a nice surprise-"

"No, this is a _necessary_ surprise," Gilbert said, pulling her outside and towards the back gate. He stopped there and turned to her seriously. "I got the mail for Marilla- and you have a letter from Queens. I think it's your answer." Anne's cheeks paled, and he squeezed her hand. "Do you want to read it now, or go somewhere private?"

Anne turned automatically to head through the gate, her lips set. "We'll go to the Haunted Wood." Gilbert only nodded and kept pace with her, her hand held in a tight clasp.

They walked together silently through the trees until Anne found a place where they formed a canopy, and some mossy stones sat beside a little brown creek. She sat down cross-legged on the soft grass beside the water, her head high, and her eyes green in the dim light. Gilbert sat opposite her in a similar manner and watched as she held out her hand for the letter.

He pulled it from his waistcoat pocket, and when it was in her hand he noticed her trembling. He drew in a deep breath, his eyes watching her steadily. "Just read it, sweetheart, then we'll know. It's going to be alright, whatever happens."

She only nodded, and shakily opened the large envelope, pulling out the creamy paper with the embossed letterhead of the Queens Academy. She could only stare at the page until a small sound escaped Gilbert, who was nearly frantic with nerves. Anne swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears. She handed it to Gilbert, whose eyes flew down the page.

"Dear Miss Shirley, we are very pleased to offer you-" he broke off reading the words aloud with a great yell that echoed through the woods around them, tossing the letter aside and pulling a laughing and crying Anne onto his lap. He held her close, kissing the top of her head and every part of her face that he could reach.

"I knew it, I _knew_ you could do it, sweetheart-"

A joyful laugh bubbled up from her lips. "Oh, yes, you had _no_ doubt- that must be why you nearly passed out in relief!" she teased.

He snatched her to him tightly and reached to take up the letter, and the two of them fell to studying it together.

"You start the same day I do- so I can accompany you there and then catch the ferry-"

"I have a feeling that the academic calendar is similar, Gil; when you are on holidays, I should be too."

Within the thick envelope was a full contract ready to be signed, a handbook for staff, and a letter from Principal Walters to congratulate her personally. Anne read that while Gilbert perused the handbook, the two of them almost talking over the top of each other.

"You need to not wear short sleeves while teaching, apparently- interesting. I never knew elbows were so distracting."

"Gil, there are several residences actually on the grounds for the staff to live in!"

"Ah, you can't have visitors in your classroom while you are teaching, unless previously approved by the principal- hmm- I wonder if he would approve of yours truly?"

"So I _will_ be Professor Shirley to the students, apparently."

"You need to keep your office neat at all times, Anne-girl, and all marking is to be done in an orderly manner-"

"And extra training will be prov- _aauugh_!"

At Anne's little scream and the way she clutched his arm, Gilbert could not be blamed for almost leaping out from underneath her in shock. "What, what is it?"

Anne threw her arms around his neck, her face fiercely jubilant. "The training is _mandatory_ , Gil- at Redmond, for _two weeks,_ every school year! Professor Walters told me at the interview that they take the teaching standards very seriously at Queens, and want their staff kept up-to-date, but I had no _idea_ that this is what he meant. He writes that he sends a few teachers across at a time- I'm slated to go in November, just before exams commence!"

At this, Gilbert began to laugh, the joy welling up inside almost indistinguishable from the lump in his throat. He pulled her down onto the ground with him, his arms holding her tightly. Anne's hair had fallen out of its pins, and he wound his fingers through the red curl that fell onto his chest.

"I just can't believe it-" he murmured, his hazel eyes glowing as they studied her face. "I'll _see_ you, you'll be close to me for a whole fortnight!"

Anne smiled. "Every year; as close as I know how to be, dearest. Not to mention the fact that you will be several hours closer to me in any case, Gil- cutting the journey significantly. I could visit you more often."

His face looked troubled. "Yes, but you don't want to be spending that kind of money on travel too often-" he stopped in surprise at the ecstatic smile on Anne's face. Without leaving his arms she pulled the letter from the ground, pointing to the contract that had already been initialled by the twelve board members. The figure there made him start, and he looked back at her in shock. " _Anne_ -"

"I can afford to do it now, Gil. You are working for our future in Kingsport- and maybe for the next three years _I_ can work in part to make the present easier to bear." She sat up then, turning to run her fingers through his tumbled, chestnut curls. "I know that we could survive the three years without regular visits, but now we have the opportunity to see each other a little more frequently. I could hop on the late ferry Friday night and be at the train station in Kingsport by Saturday morning."

Gilbert caught her hand in his and kissed it. "I'm glad- and I'm so proud of you, Anne-girl. And I would have been, no matter what happened." His eyes were earnest as he studied her then. "Anne, you have to tell me now; is this what you want? Is this really where you want to be?"

Her eyes were clear and bright, and she smiled, nodding. He smiled, kissing her and holding her close for a moment.

"Well, what do you need to do now?" he asked, his mind moving to practical matters. "Do we need to head to Charlottetown again?"

Anne was examining the letter again and shook her head. "All I need to do is to send back the signed contracts. Professor Walters will send out the curriculum notes for me to look at next week, and I report for duty the day before classes begin, on Monday the 5th of September."

"Will you take the accommodation at the school?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'll write back today and accept that as well."

He flopped back on the grass with a relieved sigh, rubbing his face. Anne watched him, chuckling. "You were as worried as I was, admit it, Gil."

Gilbert grinned. "Alright then, I was. I wanted it to be easier for you, darling girl- I wanted you happy, close to me and close to home. I wasn't asking for much."

Anne bounced to her feet with sparkling eyes, pulling him off the ground and sweeping the papers all together. She pulled him close for a moment to kiss him, her grey eyes sparkling in the dim wood. "Come on, we need to go and tell everyone!" she said before he caught her hand, and the two of them ran back down the narrow path towards Green Gables.

* * *

A short time later, Anne was in the Green Gables kitchen surrounded by the family, explaining the job she had been offered. Marilla had held Anne close, with a look of joy on her face that made Anne's tears start. Rachel announced that she always _knew_ Anne was destined for great things- and she would just go and tell Mrs Harmon and Almira Sloane that, just as soon as she could get-

Anne stopped her with an apologetic look. "And you certainly may after tonight, Mrs Lynde, however, we do want to tell Gil's parents and Diana and Fred first."

Rachel patted her hand. "Well, I suppose it can wait a day. You'll need to rethink your wardrobe for Charlottetown, Anne, everyone is far dressier in town-"

"For pity's sake, let's worry about that tomorrow," Marilla said, impatiently. "For today, let us just be thankful."

Reluctantly, Gilbert stood up after a time of merry chatter, and Anne walked him down to the gate at Green Gables to say goodbye. He gave a deep sigh, wrapping his arms around her.

"I wish you could come home with me this morning- however I have to go and wrestle with an old stump right now. Dad needs it out of the ground in time for us to get ready for tonight." He flexed his muscles to make her laugh, and then his eyebrow flew up at the sudden, arrested look on her face as she watched his chest move, and the way she ran her fingers along his bronzed arms with a breathy sigh.

" _Yes_ , Anne-girl?" he said, his deep voice amused. He watched her look up at him with a start and blush furiously, and couldn't contain his laughter.

"I think I hear Marilla calling me-"

Before she could move, Gilbert picked her up in his arms, setting her on the gate before them. He grinned at the way she avoided his gaze and pulled himself even closer to her. When she did meet his eyes, her cheeks were still fiery. "You won't tell me what's making you blush right now, sweetheart?"

Anne chuckled, and her hands ran shyly over his broad shoulders. "I just think that you are- rather nicely put together, Gilbert," she admitted, her eyes telling him that she believed it to be an understatement.

He gave a laugh that was of pure joy. "And you didn't want to tell me that in person?"

She placed her hands on his cheeks to draw him into a kiss, her arms tightly around his neck. "Well, I suppose I thought that I would begin by writing things like that to you. When we are too far away from each other to do something silly."

His smile was huge when it met her own, and he pressed his forehead against hers. "Oh, Anne Shirley," he whispered with a contented smile. "You make me want to do something silly every moment of the day." With one last kiss, he set her down on the ground, giving her a little wink as he went.

Anne watched him as he walked down the road they had trod so often in the years they had known each other, whistling with his hands in his pockets. At the bend in the road he turned to wave, and she waved back with a smile. She turned towards the house with a dreamy look and still pink cheeks, devoutly thankful that no one would be able to read her mind at that moment.

* * *

That evening, as the blue sky was giving way to the corals and gold of the sunset, Marilla pulled the Green Gables wagon up at the Blythe farm. John Blythe was there to greet the family, and to help bring food inside, and Gilbert came bounding down the steps in a new grey suit to meet them. He watched Davy scamper to his father's side and Dora walk by Marilla, and assisted first Mrs Lynde and then Anne down from the wagon. A huge smile was on his face, and he snatched her to him as everyone else moved inside. Anne wore a frilly green dress and star flowers in her ruddy hair, her eyes sparkling with happiness. Gilbert looked in appreciation at the way her body had filled out again, and a contented sigh left him. "You look wonderful, Anne."

She smiled, reaching up to straighten his tie and put her arms around his neck. "So do you. It _is_ our engagement party, dearest."

"I thought we agreed that this wasn't the real one!" he teased, his hands on her slim waist.

Anne shrugged. "Your mother has a point, Gil. Our families and our beloved friends are here. What more do we need?"

He bent to whisper something to her that made her laugh and blush, and with a grin, Gilbert bent down to lift her closely in his arms, bearing her up to the steps protesting. He set her down on the top one and turned her towards the open door, where a teary and ecstatic Priscilla Grant was waiting to run into Anne's arms.

An hour later, the party was in full swing, the guests dotted both inside and outside the house. Marilla and Rachel were assisting Cora with the food, and Anne and Gilbert sat outside with Priscilla, Diana and Fred, Moody, Charlie and a wide-eyed Dear Nicole, who much to Anne's delight had come for the weekend to meet the wider Sloane family. Diana had thankfully handed baby Fred over to Anne as soon as she could, and Priscilla leant over her chair towards the baby, her comical faces bringing out the smile his little mother was so proud of. Priscilla would be staying until Monday with Diana and Fred, and Anne looked at her happy face with a smile.

"I'm so glad you came, Priss. It just wouldn't be the same without any of you here."

Priscilla laughed, pushing a stray flaxen curl from her forehead. "I was coming anyway, sweetie, I just brought it forward when I got your letter."

Anne tickled the chubby cheek of the baby and turned to her friend with a twinkle in her eyes. "It's _your_ letters that interest me right now, dear. And just how often does Mr Stevens write?"

Priscilla coloured, with a bashful smile on her face. "Weekly. Although it takes quite a few weeks for each one to come- oh, he sends his love to both you and Gil." She smiled, her cheeks glowing. "I don't know how he finds so many things to say in his letters- they're twice as long as mine are."

"Perhaps he wants to introduce you to his world, Priss- in the hope that it may one day become your own."

"He- oh. I suppose so." she murmured, and Anne glanced at her with a loving look.

"Of course he does. He arrived safely?"

"The boat was four days late, due to a storm that I am glad I didn't hear about until much later," Priscilla said soberly. "He won't be back until February for his brother's wedding." Anne caught the telltale tear glimmering in her eye, and gave her hand a squeeze.

"But he will be back," she said gently, and then smiled. "Priss, Patrick is sending you weekly letters from Japan- you don't do that for just anyone. He is utterly beguiled by you."

Priscilla's cheeks were bright pink, however, her eyes twinkled. "I do hope so," she commented and began to laugh. "Oh, Anne, I can't believe that you're going to Queens!" she exclaimed. "I'll only be an hour away by train, and Aunt Jimsie will be back by the time term starts- and she's even closer."

Anne gave Priscilla a bright smile, meeting her beloved friend's sparkling eyes. "It's going to be wonderful!"

Aunt Katherine and Marilla sat on the veranda looking over the young people, smiling to see Anne playing with baby Fred. As Marilla watched, the little girl Matthew had brought in through her kitchen door came to mind- the thin, underfed little body, and the heartbreak in her eyes- she was all grown up now. A woman of grace and sweetness and life- and she would one day see her a bride, a mother. She smiled, wishing that Matthew could see his girl now. Katherine saw where she was looking, and placed a gentle a hand on her arm.

"You raised a wonderful girl, Miss Cuthbert. Anne is simply delightful."

Marilla's mellow laugh sounded then. "I believe she did most of the raising, Mrs Blythe. I don't think I truly lived until Anne came to us. We had a very quiet and uninteresting life until she arrived."

Katherine chuckled. "I know what you mean. David and I have been married for forty years now- with no children, we've relied on Gilbert and the other nieces and nephews to liven our days. It's marvellous what a difference they make to a boring, old life."

Marilla smiled. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

A little while later, Anne came to stand by Gilbert, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm. He smiled, and the two of them stood in silence watching their guests.

"I'll miss this."

Anne turned to him with a gentle look. "What especially, Gil?" she asked softly, and then chuckled. "And no, I wasn't just trying to get you to say it was me. Which part?"

He smiled. "All of it, I suppose. Being a part of a family- I don't have this in Kingsport- or not anymore, anyway. having loved ones all around- being scolded for leaving doors open. Having someone to chase you when you've been too busy to eat- and sleeping in a house that I belong to."

Anne sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "I know." She watched Charlie pompously discussing his business plans with Fred, while Nicole sat talking with Diana, and smiled, enjoying the happiness of her friends. She turned to look at Gilbert with a wistful look. "We're building a life together, Gil- we're not simply marking time for the next three years. And we'll be as close as we can be- I dare say the price of stamps may go up because of us." She chuckled then, running her hand along his arm. "And I want you to tell me everything in your letters- everything you go through- even insignificant things. I want to know all of it."

He smiled, kissing the top of her red head. "That goes for you too. And I think you should tell me how handsome I am- that should feature a lot."

Anne laughed, putting one slim hand up to his cheek, bringing his face closer. However, before she could do any more than smile into his bright hazel eyes, they were interrupted by Davy, almost running into the pair where they were standing in the shadows.

"Whoa there, Davy- what's chasing you?" Gilbert asked, his arms easily moving Anne to a safe distance without letting her go.

The boy wiped his forehead with the sleeve that Marilla had begged him to keep clean that evening and scowled. "Felicity-someone-or-other, and some other girl- a black haired one."

"I think you'll find that's Sarah Blythe," Gilbert said cheerfully. "Why are they chasing you?"

Davy's indignation grew. "Someone told 'em that I liked 'em- and I never said that! And now they won't leave me alone." Hearing a noise behind him, his face screwed up in horror, he swung around the back of the pair and pelted off towards the tree house, leaving both Anne and Gilbert laughing.

Two breathless little girls approached them then, curls bouncing, and with big smiles, as their big, handsome cousin stooped down to talk to them. "Sorry ladies, you just missed him. I'd check the tree house if I were you."

He straightened up to see Anne's surprised jaw drop as the giggling girls ran away, and gave her the wink he had given her on the day they met. He bent to swiftly kiss her open mouth and grinned. "I think I'm going to like being an older brother," he said brightly.

* * *

Later in the evening, Anne and Gilbert were asked to come to the front of the group, and John Blythe cleared his throat to gain the attention of those in the back yard and veranda. Her hand in Gilbert's, Anne looked around at the crowd gathered, her eyes stinging. Beloved Diana and Priscilla sat watching them with equally large smiles on their faces. The minister and his wife sat talking with Moody and Uncle Dave, and Marilla stood in the shadows to watch the young couple. With a little start, Anne observed Aunt Mary Maria sitting at the table, her head carefully turned from them, drinking her tea impassively. She stifled a grin and turned her attention back to Gilbert's father.

"Now, I think you will all agree that we have a lot to celebrate with this pair," John said in his deep voice, turning to look at his son with pride. "Together they worked to put themselves through college, not to mention graduating at the top of their fields in May this year. We didn't get to see the day they did that, but I think today is the one I am most proud to be here for." Anne blinked away sudden tears as Gilbert squeezed her hand in his. "They went through a harder summer than any young people in love should ever have to, and not only came through it safely, but better for it, I believe." There was the sound of a brief sob in the silence, and Anne's eyes softened to see Cora holding her handkerchief tightly, no doubt remembering the long weeks by her bedside. She smiled, as unmindful of the crowd, Gilbert slipped his arm around her waist tightly. "Three years is a long time to wait to marry- and no doubt at times we all wish that they would just get on with it already-" here some laughter sounded in the crowd, and she smiled. "But I have no doubt that we'll see the two of them grow stronger while they work towards the goals and dreams that they have. I look forward to welcoming Anne to the Blythe family officially, although she is our family already as far as we are concerned. We look forward to the day in which we can see the two of them become husband and wife- to where we watch the family increase again with the blessing of grandchildren." John appeared to have run out of words, and to her surprise, Anne saw him swallow hard, and then simply raise his glass. "To Gilbert and Anne. May their future be better, and stronger and brighter than it is right now."

There was applause then, and over tea and coffee, the cake that Cora had agonised over was served on the veranda. Anne felt Marilla come to her side with her arm around her girl, and Cora stood next to her husband and son. Anne gave Gilbert's father a warm hug, wiping away a small tear from her cheek. She pulled back with a cheeky smile.

"Mr Blythe, are you quite sure you are ready to adopt me as part of the family?" Anne teased her future father-in-law, her eyes twinkling. "I can be quite troublesome, you know." She heard Marilla chuckle beside her.

As Marilla looked at Anne with pride, John Blythe grinned at them. "Oh, I think it will be alright, Anne. The Blythe's aren't saints either, you know."

* * *

The evening was drawing to a close, and standing under the starlight, Anne waved goodbye to Diana, Fred and Priscilla. Diana's parents had left just before them, and she stood still for a moment, breathing in the scent of the nearby pine trees. With a little smile, she turned to go inside to assist Cora. She was just taking a platter to the kitchen when she suddenly heard Mrs Lynde's strident voice in the room. Unwilling to walk into the unknown, Anne stood still and peeped inside.

"'Annie', as you call her, is _not_ contentious." Rachel said, her tone biting.

Through the crack in the door, Anne straightened up and covered her mouth in shock. Mary Maria's blue eyes were wide as she attempted to out-stare the furious Mrs Lynde. "Far be it from me to disagree with someone who as I understand it shares her home with a _household_ of orphans, however, I have seen a side of dear Annie that concerns me _deeply_. She is opinionated-"

"Hardly a crime in a woman-"

"She has spent more time away from the kitchen than _in_ it-"

"She was raised by those who knew how to take care of a household properly, and cared for one while she worked hard for her education in Kingsport." Rachel spat. Gilbert had come to find Anne, and at his touch on her waist, Anne put her finger to her lips, her eyes dancing. His eyes lit up in interest, watching the pair over the top of her head.

"She lacks respect for her elders, and I am afraid to say that dear _Annie_ has the most dreadful temper."

The awfulness of Mrs Lynde's " _Well_ ," rang through the kitchen, and Anne bit back a giggle, watching the two antagonists square up against each other. "You know what they say about pots and kettles, don't you?"

"She is a terrible influence on him. The two of them together are inappropriate, headstrong and belligerent-" Mary Maria snapped. "Of all of the girls he might have fallen for in this backwater town, I do _not_ understand how he chose her." Mary Maria looked down her nose at the woman facing her. "This is hardly your concern, Rachel. This is a _family_ matter, and I will make sure that John and Cora are warned." Anne was shaking with laughter by this point, and she put out her hand to stop a furious Gilbert from entering the argument.

"And _Anne_ is not your concern." Mrs Lynde's face was wrathful. "Have a care how you speak of Gilbert Blythe's future wife, Mary Maria. You would be wise to understand which way the wind blows. If you think that your wider family is going to join you in condemning a girl for a lack of family, then Miss Blythe, you are _very_ much mistaken. You, _Miss_ Blythe are intolerant, pig-headed and vindictive." Rachel's cool voice said. "You forget that I knew you _before_ you moved to Charlottetown. You were bitter then, and I see little change in you now. As for the colourless misses who threw themselves at Gilbert when he was young, had he wanted them, he would have looked no further. Thank heavens he had some sense about him."

By this point, Mary Maria's face was almost purple. Forgetting the meek tone she had cloaked her earlier snide comments in, she straightened up coldly. "And _you_ , Rachel Lynde, are an evil-minded gossip who has no better judgment than to side with an upstart girl, who is _clearly_ not the equal of a Blythe."

Before an incensed Gilbert could leap into the kitchen, both women jumped as Anne's clear voice rang through the kitchen. "Rachel is my family, Miss Blythe. And you are displaying quite unparalleled rudeness in the way you have spoken to her."

Gilbert stood behind Anne with anger radiating from him, restrained only by her cool hand on his wrist. "Not to mention the way you have spoken of Anne. Wasn't there meant to be an apology in there somewhere?"

There was a startled gasp from the woman, and sudden tears welled up in the baby blue eyes. Anne watched her curiously. Of course- the tears were crocodile ones. Mary Maria Blythe was the consummate performer. "Gilbert, I am only concerned with your future-"

"And _I_ am still waiting for you to apologise," he said frankly. "You don't have a say in my life, and neither do you have the ability to change anyone else's mind. Not my parents, not me." He turned to Anne then, his eyes twinkling. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Anne's smile was mischievous. "Why, no, dear."

Gilbert turned back to his aunt courteously. "Shall I assume then you are very apologetic about your behaviour to both my fiancee and to Mrs Lynde?"

"Mary, what is it now?" John Blythe's exasperated voice said from the doorway.

The woman saw that there was no retreat possible now, and squared her shoulders stubbornly. "John, I will not stay here to be insulted a moment longer. If I were you, I would look to the behaviour of your son before it is too late." She swept to the doorway, picking up her coat from the rack. "Please tell Josephine that I insist on being driven into town early tomorrow, and that she had better not tarry tonight." She turned to Anne, her look carefully defeated. "Annie, I forgive you for the hurt that you have caused me-"

"She did _not_ hurt you-" Gilbert barked before Anne shot him a warning look.

"And I do _not_ understand how a girl like you has managed to turn my own family against me after all these years-" her voice quavered.

John sighed crossly. "That wasn't Anne. You did that yourself years ago, Mary," he said, his tone blunt. "Always criticising, finding fault with everyone- and even now, if you'd only-"

Aunt Mary Maria huffed, waiting for someone to stop her from going- and finding no one. "Well, mark my words, this family is going to _ruin_. I am glad that our sainted grandfather is not alive to see this day." She wrenched the door open and levelled a glare at Anne, now flanked by Gilbert and Rachel. "Annie, isn't there something you need to say to me?"

Anne studied her meditatively. "Miss Blythe, I believe I will put you in my next story."

At this, the woman nearly choked with indignation, and the door closed behind her with a terrific slam, leaving everyone in the room to collect their breaths.

"Well, good riddance," Gilbert said inelegantly, turning to Anne with a grin.

"Gilbert!" his father admonished, his own smile nevertheless evident.

"Sorry, Dad," he said blithely.

John turned to Anne and Rachel with regret on his face. "I'm sorry, Anne- I thought she might change her ways this time. that seems unlikely. Well, if it's any consolation, I doubt that she'll be back for the wedding." At this, he smiled wryly and left the room to find his wife and some sanity.

Anne turned to give Rachel a loving hug. "Thank you for defending my honour," she said, smiling.

Mrs Lynde looked at the young couple with a victorious smile. "You know I pride myself on speaking my mind, Anne- but anyone can see that the two of you were made for each other. The Blythe's are lucky to have you." She patted Anne's cheek contentedly.

To Mrs Lynde's utter surprise, Gilbert gave her a swift hug as well, one that made her speechless. "You couldn't be more right." He looked at her consideringly, his eyes twinkling. "You know, Mrs Lynde; you really _are_ a kindred spirit."


	47. Chapter 47, Last Things

**As I hinted a while ago, this will be the last official chapter. What remains is an epilogue, a tying up. This is how I always envisioned my story ending, and I hope that you like the path I chose to take here. Thank you so much for taking the time to read, and I'll see you for one more chapter to wrap this bad boy up.**

 **Well, maybe not a bad boy. Just a boy who _could_ be bad- but _wouldn't_.**

 **I love that only Anne-girls will get that.**

 **Cate.**

* * *

 **Chapter 47**

The summer had saved its best for the month of August that followed. For Anne and Gilbert it seemed to pass in the twinkling of an eye- perhaps the dread of parting made it seem so. As the weeks went on, preparations became more involved. Diana advised and approved the fitting of her wardrobe, while Marilla and Rachel set to work preparing the rest of the things that Anne would need in Charlottetown.

The reply from Summerside appeared in due course, expressing dismay at the withdrawal of her acceptance- with a stern rebuke for her apparent fickleness. The reply was dispatched with the same speed and force as a slate once met Gilbert's head, ending the matter with a sharply penned letter that detailed the inappropriateness of the board's behaviour in rescinding the contract, and the manner in which she had been grilled and 'illegally investigated' by Mr James Pringle. Gilbert had threatened to write to them himself, however, after reading the heavily punctuated document that an enraged Anne dashed off, he was too busy laughing to add anything.

As time went on and the time of their departures approached, Anne found she was seemingly at war with herself- and that Gilbert was the same. Their excitement for what lay ahead was coupled with the dread of parting- creating a back and forth that muddled Anne's thoughts terribly. As the last week arrived, conversations grew fewer. So much had been said already, and they often found it was others talking while they paid their last visits- although rarely did they let go of the others' hand now.

Together they wandered the fields and shores of home, making memories to lay up for the long road ahead. Anne took Gilbert to the shore where she had fled to on the day of the hurricane, making him laugh by wondering where on earth Roy's letter had floated to that day. The two of them wandered through Lovers Lane together, and lay in the wide open fields of the Blythe farm tracing pictures in the clouds. They dipped their feet in the pool at the heart of the Haunted Wood, while Anne wove stories of goblins and magic. Once Gilbert took her out for dinner to the White Sands Hotel, overlooking the ocean. It was the time together they had envisaged in Kingsport- although Anne flatly stated that next summer _no_ _one_ was allowed to get sick.

* * *

Gilbert's trunks had already been sent to Kingsport, and he sat down on his bed the day before they were due to leave. Both his mother and Marilla had asked for the day to be spent at home, however, the evening would only belong to Anne. This time tomorrow he would be on the boat, on his way to Redmond once more. He was checking his satchel when his father entered the room and sat down at his desk. He smiled, seeing the faded brown boots he had grown up chasing, the calloused hands that had taught him to ride, to fish and to use a hammer. John met the hazel eyes that were a mirror of his own.

"Ready to go?"

"I'm ready. I'll have to pack a few things in the morning."

"We're leaving here at six?" When his son only nodded, John gave a little smile. "Sure going to be quiet around here when you go. It's been years since you had a whole summer here."

Gilbert's face was full of regret. "I'm sorry, dad;" to which his father only shook his head.

"A man's got to work, son. Ma and I know that. Speaking of which-" here he pulled out an envelope and thrust it across the space. Gilbert opened it with some trepidation. As soon as he saw what was inside, he shook his head, pushing it back firmly. "Dad, I'm fine, I worked last year, I don't need money-"

John only shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's yours. You might need something extra this year- or it can go for the future."

"Dad, it's too much-"

"We've had good harvests over the last few years, it's finally putting us ahead. Now we can do what we wanted to and help you more. You could put your mother's mind at ease and use it to come back here more often."

Gilbert laughed. "Alright, Dad. I- I don't know how to thank you."

John bent forward, his face sober. As he opened his mouth to speak, Gilbert grinned. "You look like you're about to give me the talk you gave me four years ago."

"You remember it?"

"I do."

Both father and son were silent for a time, before John crossed his arms, sizing Gilbert up. "So?"

Gilbert chuckled. "Temptations in the city, a long way from home- easy to forget why you're there in the midst of it. How did I do?"

"You tell me."

Gilbert's brown eyebrows flew up, and he let out a long breath. "I think- I think alright. I mean, sure; there are things I wish I hadn't done, some stupid decisions that I made; things I would have liked to have handled better-"

John nodded, his eyes on the boot that was crossed on his knee. "Sounds pretty normal, son."

"-but I'm proud of what I accomplished- I got what I went there for- and I have Anne," Gilbert said simply.

His father fixed him with a serious eye then. "Alright. You stay faithful to that girl- you work hard, get friends around you, and rest properly. And a long engagement is tough- you need to remember why you're waiting."

Gilbert's face flushed, uncomfortably aware that his father was speaking to more than just time passing. "Of course, Dad."

John stood up then, and Gilbert did as well. His father gave him a long hug and stepped towards the door giving a slightly suspicious sniff as he did so. Gilbert grinned. "So I'll see you for the next lecture in three years time, then, Dad?"

John laughed as he stepped into the hall. "Son, that'll be the interesting one."

* * *

When Gilbert came to pick up Anne in the afternoon she was waiting for him on the verandah, her satchel on her shoulder and a smile on her face. Wordlessly he took the bag from her, shouldering it next to his own. With a wave for the ladies in the kitchen, he took her hand in his and together they walked out of the Green Gables gate.

The last walk to Hester Gray's garden was tranquil. The leaves overhead had already begun to turn, and the smell of autumn was in the air. Gilbert turned his head to look at Anne as they walked- at the lightness of her step, the way her body moved with the grace of a willow. From time to time she would glance at him and would squeeze his hand in her own. No words were needed for this journey- the only sounds were those of the wind in the trees, the call of birdsong, and the breakers on the shore beyond nearby fields. Gilbert was the one to push through the foliage to the garden first, as lovely at the end of summer as it had ever been. He looked around with delighted eyes- the flowers that dotted the landscape in yellow and blue, the brook he had once mistakenly chased her into, leading to wet shoes, wet stockings and socks that had to be dried in the sun while they studied. He smiled at that particular memory. He'd worked so hard to ignore the pretty feet that poked out from under her blue dress that day. And the way one curl kept falling onto her face- once he'd actually tucked it behind her ear without thinking- and she'd looked at him with an unreadable expression on her face before he blurted out the Latin answer she had been searching for.

Now she walked ahead of him towards the same creek. She sat beside the water and Gilbert stood watching her with tender eyes. White birches rose from the long grass on the steep bank, and the sunlight shone through the leaves onto the surface of the trickling water. Her grey eyes were wistful, and she looked around as if trying to memorise her surroundings. Finally, she gave a sigh and looked up at him.

"It's right that we're here today."

Gilbert sat down against a tree, watching her. After the closeness of the summer, there was an odd shyness between them now- they would have the train ride tomorrow, and yet it was _here_ that goodbye would truly be said between them. He twisted the long grass in his hands, studying the way that the sunlight shone on her red hair, the way her pretty mouth curved into a smile as she watched the birds flying overhead. She turned back to him with a little sigh, pulling a package out of her satchel.

"I have something for you," Anne said softly. "I wanted to do something- something that would make all of this easier." His hazel eyes were tender, and she swallowed. "I know that nothing really can- but I wanted to try."

She handed him the wrapped parcel, a dark blue ribbon tied around it. With an intrigued look at his fiancee, he pulled it off and found a cloth-covered journal. He looked at her, puzzled. "Look inside," she whispered. Pressed between the pages was a sprig of rosemary- the spicy fragrance was on the pages themselves, most of them covered in her handwriting. When he looked up again, her eyes were on his, and she moved closer so that her skirts brushed his knees. "I had the idea after what you wrote in my journal. That it was a way for you to find me, when I wasn't with you. I've been working on it since then."

Gilbert's mouth moved, however, for a moment he was silent with shock. "Anne, I- is it- I mean, what did you write?"

Anne smiled. "Everything. I listed every memory of the two of us that I could think of- and as much our year together as I could remember. Everything." He looked up at her laugh. "When you went home after the fever ended, I would sit up at night doing this when I couldn't sleep. As you can see, in the first few pages the handwriting was still quite shaky." He turned to them and swallowed hard, seeing some of the letters were quite faint. Her cheeks were pink, and she smiled again. "Easter alone takes up quite a bit of space, dearest."

Gilbert held out his hand to her, and Anne moved closer to lay her head against his shoulder for long minutes in silence. He kissed her forehead, his voice low. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Don't read it until at the very least you're on the boat-" she said, with a chuckle, wiping her own tear away. "I never intended to have to watch you read what I wrote."

Gilbert swallowed and pulled away from her to reach into his own bag for a piece of paper. "I have something for you too- although it's nothing like yours. I don't want you to think that I'm being overbearing, or overstepping you, or being over-cautious-"

Anne looked at him, amused. "You used the word 'over' three times. Come on, out with it, Gil."

He smiled ruefully. "It was something Doctor Telmann suggested two months ago, and- well, I'm with him on this. This is the address for a doctor in Charlottetown, a colleague of his. He wants to send your notes to him so that you would have someone in town who could keep an eye on you for the next year."

Anne's eyes were big as she looked at him. "Gil, it's all over now-"

Gilbert sighed, trying to navigate the line between doing what he felt was right and overstepping her desires. "It is. But it also took a tremendous toll on your body, and I don't want to just assume that you're safe- if I was here I could keep an eye on you, and so could Telmann- but I won't be."

Anne's look was indulgent. "You're just being overprotective, Gil-"

There was a flash of anger in his eyes then, that made her sit back in shock. "Actually, I think I'm pretty relaxed for someone who almost watched you die two months ago-"

" _Gilbert_ -"

"I won't _be_ here, Anne, I won't know if you're alright- and you could just tell me that you're fine to not worry me," he said heatedly. "No, you don't have to do it, and there probably won't be anything that will resurface, Telmann says it only happens occasionally, but if anything ever _did_ happen-"

At this Anne leant over to gently place her hands on his face, bringing his tirade to a halt. She searched his defiant eyes. "Darling, you need me to do this, don't you?"

He nodded, his face pale. "Honestly, yes."

Anne's hands dropped, and she nodded. "Alright. For you, I will."

"Thank you, sweetheart." He drew in a shaking breath, his hands rubbing his face. "And while I'm being completely presumptuous, I need you to do something else for me. It's selfish, and I'm sorry about that- but I don't think I can go if you do."

"Gil, I don't have a clue what you're talking about-"

"I need you to not see me to the boat tomorrow."

At this Anne drew back in dismay. "You don't want me there?"

Gilbert gave the ghost of a laugh. "Oh, I want you. But I can't do it."

Anne sat down cross-legged before him, watching the conflicting emotions on his face. "Tell me," she said gently. He grasped her hand tightly in his, his throat working hard.

"I've been dreading this moment for a year, now. The moment I'd have to leave you. And I know how your face will look when I walk away- and I can't do it and still go." His breathing was uneven, and he ran his hands up her slender arm. "I want to say goodbye to you at your house- I want you to turn from me and to be home. I want to remember you being there, safe. Please, just this time- just this first time."

Anne's eyes were grief-stricken, and her breath caught for a long moment. Slowly, she made herself release it. "Yes," she said with a faint smile. "If- if that's what you need, then I'll do it."

His hand pushed back the chestnut curls from his forehead, and he sighed. "Thank you."

There was a long silence between them then, as they watched the movement of the sun through the trees. Gilbert watched her, his heart hurting. He was wary that she should think he was pushing her away- as real as the distance that would soon between them, he was terrified that a distance should grow between them now. This wasn't the goodbye they had planned- for some reason he kept putting that off. As he looked at her wistful face, a sharp pang went through him. When they were together, when she was touching him, there was no thought that he could hide from her. And the thought that brought more pain than any other- once he took her in his arms on this last night, how could they ever stop?

Anne could see the struggle on Gilbert's face, and swallowed. She looked at him with gentle grey eyes, and began to talk about inconsequential things. Of the tickets they had yet to purchase in the morning, the time they would need to awaken. Of Phil's latest letter, and the fact that she and Jonas would meet him at the train station the following night when he arrived in Kingsport. Then she too fell silent, as the sun slowly sank towards the horizon. From where they sat they could look out over the water, and behind them lay the shadows of the cherry trees, the old fashioned roses perfuming the air that whispered around them. When Anne closed her eyes she could hear the sea calling from beyond the dunes, and it crooned over them as a lullaby. When she looked back at Gilbert, his eyes were fixed on hers with a longing in them that took her breath away. She held out her hand, and he moved from the tree to her side, his body next to hers on the downy turf. With her hand in his, he bent in closer to kiss her.

Anne's eyes opened to look at his face, so close to her own. He was curiously hesitant, almost as shy as he had been the first time he kissed her. She held his face in her hands, somehow trying to tell him that it would be alright- and then his lips captured hers again, his hands bearing her to the ground, hers on the blue tie she had given him the day he had packed his trunks. She felt him chuckle as she undid it without moving her lips from his- he had never told her why it made him laugh when she did that- and she sighed in relief against his lips, somehow feeling the brittle wall of protection he had placed around himself begin to come down. He pulled away then, his fingers combing through the loose red curls that she had left down for him, trying to regain his breath, staring into her clear green eyes.

"Anne- I don't know how- I don't-" he faltered, and her hand traced the outline of his jaw, her thumb stroking his cheek.

"We'll do it together," she said softly. "We will stop when we need to. Do you trust me?"

He captured her hand in his, a faint smile on his lips. "How did you know?"

The smile Anne gave him was one born of love, of years of comradeship and faith in each other. "Because I _know_ you, Gil. And I feel it too. But it's not up to just you or me- we're so much stronger together." He watched the buttons on her white blouse rise and fall as she looked at the trees above them. He felt her trying to choose words with difficulty, the flush on her skin telling him how deeply she felt this. "I don't want us afraid to share how we feel this way now- so afraid that it has to stop that we don't begin. The weight of this is already tremendous- but when if don't share it, it's crushing. We _need_ this, Gil."

His hazel eyes held hers for a few moments before he smiled. His hand slipped beneath her head when he kissed her again, fierce and tender all at once. With flushed cheeks he brought his body over hers, tasting over and over the sweetness of her lips and her skin. She slipped her arms around his neck, holding him as closely as she was able to, her hands in his soft, brown curls as he kissed the smooth whiteness of her neck. Wanting to feel more of him, she undid the first buttons of his shirt, pulling back when she felt him smile.

"Why _do_ you laugh whenever I do that?" she asked curiously.

Gilbert looked at her, his head on one side. "Do what?"

Her cheeks were pink, and she couldn't hold back her smile. "Your shirt or your tie- you always laugh- is it so very funny?"

He propped himself up on his elbow above her, while one hand gently ran over the smooth curve of her waist. "I never realised I did," he said frankly, but then chuckled. "I don't know. I guess it's because- I've just always wanted you to do that to me."

Anne's eyes twinkled. "Since you were-"

"You _know_ how old I was, Anne-girl," he said dryly. "Far too young to do anything about it, thank heavens."

Her gaze wandered to the paler skin his open collar exposed, her fingers stroking a scar on the right of his breastbone. "What happened there, Gil?"

Gilbert smiled at her sheepishly. "Remember when we used to roam the countryside, and how I was always telling you not to run with a stick in your hand?"

Anne looked at the scar, her mouth open in surprise. "Gil, you _didn't_ -"

"Oh, I _did_. In Alberta. Dad was starting to get better finally, and when mother visited that autumn, she told me to get him outside a bit more. We used to walk around a lot that last year, and we were out walking- well, I was _running_ through the wetlands one day, and I- er- tripped." He shrugged and grinned at her. "I lost a bit of blood, I guess. He got me home- the doctor scolded me while he was stitching me back up, and Dad roared at me when it was done- when it was all over he slept for about a week."

By this time Anne was breathing again, imagining how terrified a weakened John Blythe would have been, carrying his bleeding son back to the house. Great tenderness was on her face as she moved to kiss the inch wide scar, her hands pulling Gilbert back down to her. For a long time, nothing more was said, as lips moved against each other and hands caressed. Twilight was falling now, and the rippling waters beside them reflected the starlight as they appeared, one by one.

When Gilbert at last pulled back, he saw the same want in her eyes that reflected in his own- he felt how close the two of them were to tumbling into an abyss from which there could be no return. Her hands were in his hair, and her sweet lips curved into the smile that he loved. He lay his head against her breast, trying to steady his breathing, feeling the movement of her ribcage under his hands. So they lay for long minutes, until a sudden sound broke the silence, causing his head to fly up in shock. His eyes darkened at the tears he now saw rolling down her cheeks, the way her jaw was clenched to hold the sobs inside.

"Oh, _sweetheart_ -" he said softly, gathering her into his arms. How swiftly the desire subsided in the face of Anne's grief- and with that came the realisation to Gilbert that it would always be this way. Always would he love, always would he want her- but the need to comfort and keep her safe would win out every time. They would be able to wait, they would keep the faith. Their parting would hurt them both, but they would endure. Her words echoed in his mind then- _better, and stronger and brighter_ \- the same words that his father had unknowingly used. That was how it would be.

He held her close as she cried, the only other sound the gentle splash the water made as it moved over the submerged rocks and branches. He pressed gentle kisses to her forehead as her body shook, over and over he murmured his love into her hair. When at last the storm had subsided, she lay quietly with him curled around her as they had so many weeks ago, only a slight shudder in her breathing to bear witness to her tears. Her hand was tightly clenched in his shirt, and his rested on her comfortingly. In the darkness then, she turned to him, her hand on his cheek to press one last kiss on his beloved lips. His eyes held hers, and she gave him a little smile.

"We really should be getting home, now, dearest."

Gilbert sighed and got to his feet, pulling her up and into his arms. His brown hands caressed her face, and he slowly pressed a kiss to the softness of her lips. Anne smiled as she ran gentle fingers around his collar, doing up the buttons and knotting the tie around his throat with care. With a last look around the precious garden, the two of them walked home just as the moon began to rise. As they moved through the old pathways, he helped her over the little stile; his hands pausing to caress her waist tenderly as he did so.

At last, they stood at the gate of Green Gables, and Gilbert took her hands in his. "Now _that's_ how you say goodbye to a place." He touched his nose to hers and kissed her firmly, before turning to go. "I'll see you in the morning, sweetheart."

Anne stayed by the gate until she could see him no more. When she walked through the kitchen door, Marilla and Rachel were sitting at the supper table, and Marilla looked at her in concern. Knowing they would worry if she didn't stop, an exhausted Anne sat down beside her adopted mother, leaning her red head against Marilla's shoulder silently. The love that she had once tried to explain to Phil surrounded her, and not a word was spoken as Rachel poured her a cup of tea, pushing it towards her.

"Are you alright?" Marilla asked gently when Anne lifted her head, sweeping the long red hair ( _unbound_ , Mrs Lynde thought with some horror) over one slim shoulder.

After a moment, Anne smiled. "I am. We'll both be fine."

After some quiet conversation and a bite to eat, Anne rose to go to bed, pausing to give both women a kiss on the cheek. She walked up the stairs slowly. Bright moonlight flooded her white room, and after gazing out at the beloved view from her window, she closed the drapes and got changed into her nightgown. When she lay down to sleep, the remembrance of Gilbert's touch in the garden put a smile on her face, and within minutes she was sound asleep.

* * *

The kaleidoscope shifted. One minute they were saying goodbye at the gate of Green Gables- the next, to Gilbert's parents at the station. Later that day Anne would have the surreal feeling that the train to Charlottetown had taken them no time at all- in the blink of an eye, they were placing her trunks in the waiting carriage, dropping Gilbert's bags off at the terminal, and moving through the streets swiftly. Gilbert's hand gripped Anne's tightly, and her other stroked up and down his arm as they sat. Anne's head was on his shoulder, and every now and then he would turn to breathe in the scent of her red curls.

The driver pulled up as instructed at a street that ran behind the main hall of the academy, at a little house with ivy-covered yellow paintwork. The front door was open already, and at Anne's knock, a beaming lady rushed to greet her.

"You must be Professor Shirley! Oh, Maisie and I have been waiting simply _forever_ for you to come."

As Gilbert and the driver brought Anne's trunks to the tidy room that was indicated, Anne smiled as the lady grabbed her hands warmly. "We're going to have a _marvellous_ time here together, Miss Shirley-"

Anne shook her head with a smile. "I think you should just call me Anne from the start."

"Oh, good!" the lady said, beaming. "I'm Emma Douglas, Mathematics, and Maisie Picard is the French Professor. We've been waiting for some congenial soul to join us here- this house really _is_ built for three. Three bedrooms, three desks, three coat hooks in the living room." Anne laughed, and Gilbert came to stand next to her. Emma gave him a wicked smile. "And am I to guess this is someone we will be hearing an awful lot about too?"

Anne's eyes softened as she looked to him. "You will. This is my fiancee, Gilbert Blythe, a medical student at Redmond. He- he's about to go there now."

Gilbert shook her hand, and grinned. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Douglas."

Emma's face screwed up. "Oh, none of that- it's Emma unless you're my student. You could easily forget your first name here. And I'll just call you Gilbert."

She didn't miss the long look between the couple, and stepped backwards with a smile. "Well, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other, Anne; and I can see that you need some time to say goodbye. I'll leave you to do that."

Anne swallowed and nodded. Silently the two of them walked outside and around the side of the house, to the small garden that lay there. A maple tree in full colour stood over a little white garden seat, and Anne could see the signs of summer flowers now fading in the garden beds.

Gilbert cleared his throat. "It's lovely here."

Anne's arms slipped around his waist. "It is- it reminds me-"

"-Of Patty's Place, I know," he said, his voice tight.

She pulled back to speak the words were so inadequate. "I'll miss you, Gil."

"And I'll miss you." He pulled her close and closed his eyes, hot tears now falling without restraint. "I'll write as soon as I get there, I'll tell you what I had for dinner and what tie I pick out for tomorrow- I'll tell you everything."

Through her own tears Anne laughed. "And I'll do the same." She smoothed the fabric of his shirt with gentle fingers, pausing to rest her forehead against his chin. "Do you have to go right now?"

Gilbert looked at his watch, and at the driver now waiting across the street for him. "Yes. The boat leaves in less than an hour."

As a shudder went through her, she lifted her grey eyes to his bravely. "What do we do now?"

He gave a laugh that was like a sob, his hands cradling her cheeks. "I kiss you one last time- I tell you that I love you- and- and we walk to the front door." Here, his voice failed. "And then I walk away."

Anne reached up a shaking hand to wipe away the tears that fell from his cheek, and lifted her chin. "Then that's what we will do."

He bent his head then, his kiss firm and sweet. "I'll see you in two months, sweetheart. I'll be there to pick you up."

Anne nodded, her arms tightly around his neck. "I'll be there," she whispered. "I love you, Gilbert Blythe."

He held her to him for as long as he dared, and then they walked around to the steps of the front door. He gave her a smile that was twisted with pain, and her forehead creased in an effort to control her tears. He drew in a deep breath, marshaling every bit of strength he had. "I love you, Anne," he whispered.

He turned from her beloved face then, and strode down the path without looking back.

* * *

When the island was no longer visible from the side of the boat, Gilbert drew in what felt like his first deep breath in hours. He'd been out here since he came aboard, unwilling to talk to other passengers yet. He looked at the waters surrounding him, thinking of the changes that a year had brought- well, fourteen months. He chuckled. It was probably even fourteen months and two weeks now. He'd had nothing to lose then: how differently everything looked to him now. As he leaned against the bench on the deck, a peace stole over his heart.

The two of them had done it. They had their degrees, they had each other. They had their summer at home- more or less- and Anne was well, in Charlottetown, in a job that she would adore. He was going to medical school on the scholarship he had dreamed of, and friends would be nearby while he do it. He smiled. He was going to dinner at the Saunders that week, Moody had told him that Mrs Saunders insisted on it.

As a cooler breeze blew, he opened his satchel, pulling out the dove grey scarf to put around his neck once more. He took the blue book out that Anne had given him and opened to the first page, careful to hold the rosemary pressed there. Gentle fingers traced the shaky lettering, and slowly he began to read.

 _My darling,_

 _Today brought me the most wonderful of gifts, Gil. Your precious words in my journal, your heart for me to read. I hope I can show you what that meant to me- I hope I can give you something of me in this book that will go to Redmond with you._

 _You've been by my side constantly, and even now it hurts to have you away from me. For what you sacrificed to be with me, thank you. I needed you here, beloved. I hope I will have this done in time- your mother and Marilla keep wrestling the pencil off me when they think I'm too tired. But I think the tide is slowly turning._

 _I've been thinking about a reoccurring dream I often have. The details change at times, but it always takes the same shape. I had it again just two weeks ago, and it has stayed with me ever since._

 _I am walking through a wood, looking for someone- you. In the dreams I see things around me that remind me of you- little mementoes, like clues that add together. I think I hear bits of conversation, voices in the distance, but I don't find anyone at first. When I first had the dream it was only weeks after your first proposal. I saw the bunch of mayflowers you brought me on the ground, a book that I had once loaned you, and a diamond ring lying abandoned on the creek bed. I woke up in terror- and I never found you._

 _Other times I would walk, and there was nothing- no sound, no clue that anyone was there. The woods were thick and green and lush, but untouched. I was alone._

 _The dreams often unsettled me, although Stella always claimed that Freud's theory of dream interpretation was a load of bunk, and that all that ailed me was probably some of Phil's indigestible cake. She may have had a point, but as time went on I began to think there was something to it._

 _Because the next time I had the dream the signs of you were there for me to find. It was the morning of the Hannerford ball- and I dreamed that when I had looked for you, that you were behind me- because you were looking for me too. And that was true- I knew that I loved you then, and I think that I finally believed that you loved me as well. I had so many dreams about you since we went back to school last year; some which terrified me, some which left me confused. There were others that left me in quite another state altogether, however, that might be a conversation for another time._

 _Two weeks ago, you were there when the fever broke. As you know I don't remember much from that time- but on the morning I awoke, there was the dream again. I found myself in the wood, only this time I knew that you would find me. I saw things that reminded me of you- of us\- and in the green place where we come together, you caught me in your arms, and I heard you telling me to open my eyes. I don't know if that really happened, if you really told me to do so, but somehow, it was you. I woke up with your arm wrapped around me, beautifully asleep in my bed._

 _Since that point I've tried to make sense of it- and I know that I tire easily right now, but suddenly figuring it out doesn't matter anymore. Somehow, you always come for me. And when I look for you, I find that you were there all along._

 _We've talked so much about being apart- but what matters is that we are together in heart_ - _and that in three years time, nothing will be able to separate us again. When time and distance and pain threaten us before then; no matter what happens when tomorrow comes- you will always find me, and I will always find you._

 _I love you always, Gilbert Blythe._

 _Love,_

 _Anne._


	48. Chapter 48, an Epilogue

**Epilogue**

On a cool day in late April one year, Anne Shirley stood at the window of her second-story classroom, listening to a student read from Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The nervous young man cast Anne a pleading look at having to do this in front of everyone, however, his teacher only smiled and nodded encouragingly.

 _"'Tis calm indeed! so calm, that it disturbs_

 _And vexes meditation with its strange_

 _And extreme_ silentness _. Sea, hill, and wood,_

 _This populous village! Sea, and hill, and wood,_

 _With all the numberless goings-on of life,_

 _Inaudible as dreams!_

The boy finished in a shaky voice and sat down, relieved.

"Excellent, Anthony. Jessica, would you be able to take over and read the next six lines?"

Anne's eyes flickered to the window, with a small sigh of regret at the sight of the chill grey clouds that seemed to make a mockery of the spring. She turned back, noting the wistfulness in the young lady's voice as she read. All of them were growing tired, Anne thought indulgently, her eyes flickering over the twenty second-year students. They all needed a good summer vacation.

Anne's attention was suddenly caught by a knock at the classroom door, and she motioned for the next student to carry on reading as she crossed the room swiftly. To her surprise, a little black-haired teacher was almost dancing with excitement outside.

"Maisie, what is it?" a bewildered Anne asked, as her hand was grasped tightly.

"You need to go, chérie, go _now_ -"

Anne protested as the young Frenchwoman attempted to steer Anne away from her classroom. "Maisie, darling, I have a classroom full of students-"

"Well, you have one in your office too." To Anne's exasperation, her housemate stepped past her and into her classroom with the authority of a trained teacher, clapping her hands and the completely confused students looked at their French teacher, and back to Anne, who sighed in surrender.

"Class, I apologise for the interruption. Professor Picard will be taking you for the last ten minutes while I attend to this matter, please give her your full attention." She turned to Maisie with a courteous bow. "We are reading _Frost at Midnight_ , Professor."

Maisie wrinkled her pert nose at her friend. "I think we should give the dusty English books a spell and have a little French lesson in our remaining time, don't you? _Go_ , chérie, we shall have fun."

Anne gave a little chuckle and turned to go, still puzzled as to why it was important enough to interrupt a class. As she walked through the door, she heard Maisie say to the class: "Now, who can tell me what this means: 'L'amour de ta vie qui étudie en médecine est en train de t'attendre dans ton bureau'?"*

Anne left the classroom with a confused shake of her red head and turned to go downstairs. As she walked down the carpeted staircase, Anne sighed, hoping that this wasn't about Justin Bambrick- the lad hadn't been overly strong that semester and his parents had been reluctant to let him come back to school after the Easter break. According to Emma, he had fallen behind in several of his classes, and the matter was now under review by the principal. The door to her office was shut, and she opened it with some reluctance.

The room was just as she had left it an hour ago, the open drapes sending a beam of light onto her desk- and behind it, studying the photographs on her bookcase was a tall, brown-haired young man. Anne's breath caught as Gilbert Blythe turned, a big grin on his handsome face, his hair much shorter than it had been when she had seen him last. Anne was frozen, wondering distractedly if she was dreaming. He couldn't be here, he had _exams_ -

Gilbert casually stepped behind her to close the door, and she turned in shock as his shoulder brushed hers, the scent of him unmistakable. She gave a little shiver as she heard the lock on the door turn, and huge grey eyes met his twinkling hazel ones.

"I'm going to assume that you're extremely happy to see me," he said, and the smug smile he gave her broke through her daze, and she threw her arms around his neck with a glad cry, holding him as tightly as she could.

" _Breathing_ , darling- need to breathe-" he laughingly gasped after a moment, his arms wrapped around her slender form. She loosened her grip, switching to peppering little kisses all over his dear face.

"Did you miss me?" she demanded, between kisses, and Gilbert paused, holding her still to press a longer, more satisfying kiss to her lips.

"Of _course_ I did, I haven't seen you since New Year's Day-"

Anne scowled at him. " _You_ were the one who went to Montreal at our Easter-"

"I know I did, Anne-girl." he protested. "And you know that Dr Edmonds insisted on taking me, he wanted me to accept the position there. I felt like I had to at least pretend to consider it."

Anne pulled away to study him. "And?"

"And you knew what I was going to say," he said offhandedly. He set her down on the ground again and sat down on her desk, pulling her in close to him. "I have no intention of going there."

Anne ran her fingers through his short hair, smiling at the differences in his appearance. "You cut your curls again, beloved-"

Gilbert chuckled. "That's because I look ridiculous with them poking out from under the surgical cap. Anne, aren't you at all curious as to why I'm here?"

Anne laughed. "Of course- but you can't expect me to focus on that right away, Gil, I'm too glad to see you. I am curious though- you should have exams right now."

"Not until Tuesday, and I'm ahead on all my work. And besides, all the third year students have been disappearing here and there to scout for jobs on the weekends- everyone's jostling for positions."

She gave him a look of pride. " _You_ aren't." She had known of the opportunities that were being offered to Redmond's top medical student- hospitals and clinics, research positions at the university.

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Gilbert said, with a shrug.

Anne's fingers stroked the rough stubble on his chin with a little smile. "You _know_ it's not luck." She studied him then. "So I assume that you're here because you've found somewhere." Her voice was oddly hesitant, something that Gilbert didn't miss.

"I have an interview," he said gently. "And I was wondering if you would accompany me there."

Anne looked bewildered. "Oh, Gil, I don't know- how far will we be travelling?"

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, his smile tender. "Well, that's why I'm here. It's in White Sands."

There was a moment where her eyes grew even larger, and she faltered. " _Here_? On the island?"

Gilbert laughed. "Anne, what other White Sands do you know of?"

She swatted him then, her smile growing. "Oh, be quiet. I'm just so surprised. How-"

"Telmann," he said simply. "He often contacts me if he's got a puzzling case, he knows the top research comes through the university- and he told me that Doctor Stewart is retiring, that if I was interested I should go and see him."

Anne looked at him in amazement. "Gilbert-"

He gave her a sheepish look. "I got that on Tuesday- I left Kingsport last night with letters of recommendation from Edmonds, the professors, the hospital and from the head of the university. Doctor Edmonds let me call him from his office to set up the appointment."

Anne stepped away from him, turning to briefly cover her face with her hands. Knowing what a surprise this would be to her, Gilbert watched her move around the room with a loving look.

"Is this what you want?" she asked turning suddenly, her intelligent eyes searching his face. "You know that you could go for bigger practices- you could have any practice you want, _go_ anywhere you want. And you _know_ Uncle Dave was hoping you would go to Four Winds with him." Gilbert sighed, a slight smile on his face.

"I don't know exactly," he said frankly. "All I know is that I had to be here for this. I wouldn't even have known about it if it wasn't for Telmann. I know Uncle Dave wants me, but he also says that the community you serve becomes a part of you, and that you can only choose to suit yourself. White Sands is a place I already love. We'd be close to home, and to our families- we've been away for long enough, I think." He chuckled, leaning back on her desk with his palms. "And part of me that thinks it would be perfect for us. It's bigger than home, it's different and changes constantly. It's close but not too close, and I wouldn't have to be a doctor to the Sloane and Pye and Andrews connections-"

Anne laughed, adopting a teasing voice, faintly reminiscent of Mrs Almira Sloane, "'Are you _sure_ you know what you're doing, Gilbert Blythe? I remember when you were an infant- your mother had such a _terrible_ time nursing you-'"

Gilbert began to laugh. "Exactly," he said, and then suddenly sobered. "Not to mention attending every birth and death for those I've grown up with." He shook his head, his mouth steady. "But this is a different thing altogether. So- will you come, Anne? I'll understand if it can't be until tomorrow evening-"

Anne chuckled and moved to sit on her desk next to him, and Gilbert touched the lilac skirts that brushed against his grey trousered legs with a smile.

"I haven't seen this one," he commented softly. "It's pretty."

Anne smiled. "It's new." She let out a deep breath, resting her cheek against his shoulder as he slipped his arm around her. "Well, I'll need to see if someone can take my classes tomorrow-"

Gilbert's face brightened. "You'll come tonight?"

"I just got you back, I'm not letting you out of sight if I don't have to," Anne said demurely, and then fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Do you have a plan?"

Gilbert's grin was smug. "Well, I know a little hotel that isn't too expensive in the off-season, I'm sure we'll be able to get rooms there. We can spend the day tomorrow checking the town out, and if you like we can go back to Avonlea tomorrow evening- give the families a big surprise."

Anne clapped her hands with starry eyes and pulled him to his feet. "Well then, dearest, we need to see Principal Walters!"

* * *

It was nearly nine o clock in the morning when Anne awoke the next day, blinking in surprise at the bright sunlight shining in through the open windows. It had been late in the evening when Gilbert and she had walked from the station to the Little Bay Hotel, and after a hasty meal in the downstairs dining room, with Gilbert nearly asleep on his feet, the two of them had headed for their rooms soon afterwards. He had told her that he would not wake her before he left, and now Anne stretched luxuriously under the covers, before pulling them back to run on light feet to the windows. Her room looked out over the ocean, and she breathed in the fresh smell with satisfaction. Her eyes studied the horizon with interest, seeing fishing vessels sailing in the distance, and couples already walking along the shore nearby. With a dreamy smile, and the pricking in her thumbs that said this was an important day, she turned to ready herself for the morning.

After a leisurely breakfast in the dining room, Anne stood on the steps of the hotel looking out over the water. She closed her eyes at the breeze coming off the ocean, at the warmth of the sunshine on the late April day. It was wonderful to be able to breathe in the fresh air again. She looked down at the little watch pinned to her pretty ivory walking suit. She was right on time- he'd said that he would be there by eleven.

When several minutes had gone by, she looked up the street to see Gilbert in the distance tearing towards her, hurriedly excusing himself to ladies walking with lacy parasols that he had startled in his flight. An amused smile lit her face. Impatiently he stopped for a family of young girls and their governess to cross his path; mischievous hazel eyes dancing into hers less than ten yards from her now. When the group had passed, he bounded up the steps to give her a bold kiss that caused a group of elderly ladies passing to fan themselves in horror. Anne emerged from his embrace laughing, holding the hat that had somehow fallen from his brown head. Without speaking, Gilbert took her hand in his and ran down the steps, pulling her toward the shore to talk. In the shadow of a high sand dune, he spread his jacket on the ground for the two of them to sit on and turned to face her, his countenance lit up.

Anne watched him, a small lump in her throat. She'd seen him happy before- but as he took her hands in his, she looked at him in wonder, fulfilment of all he had dreamed for the two of them. A peace entered her heart, and she smiled at him.

"It's right here, isn't it," she said softly.

"Only if you want it to be, darling girl. It's why I wanted you here."

Anne gave him a loving look. "What happened, Gil?"

He drew in a deep breath. "It's mine, if I want it. He has an office in the main street that I can continue the lease on, and he wants me to come here for a month in June to help with the summer rush, and to get to know the practice- and any work I do then will pay for the equipment and inventory, he's not taking anything with him. Some of it will need updating, the advances that have happened since he bought them-" he halted then with a sheepish grin, hearing himself ramble. "If we decided to come here, he would stay until September- that will give us time to plan an earlier wedding, and give us time for our honeymoon. It's a fair-sized practice- there's a fishing village down the road and a lumber mill through the hills; the local population and then of course all of the wealthy summer visitors-" here his tone was dry. "The ones who call you out to treat the sniffles, and pay handsomely for you to tell them to close the window when it's cold." He squeezed her hand, bringing her eyes to his. "He's happy with my references, and I think Dr Telmann's letter helped too. He's offered it to me."

Anne drew in a deep breath, and looked out to study the rolling waves coming into shore. So many castles had she built of their life together- so many ways she had tried to imagine their future looking, city of country, mountains or plain, far from loved ones- or in Avonlea itself. A dreamy smile began to grow in her grey eyes, picturing a life by the sea, a home close to their loved ones, and yet with the privacy to transition to their new life together. She turned to him, her eyes sparkling with a green intensity that made him catch his breath. She placed gentle hands on his face, coming to her knees to press a kiss to his waiting lips.

"Then this will be our home," she said softly, and he pulled her close with a joyous laugh that seemed to spring up from his very heart.

* * *

Gilbert's last meeting with the elderly doctor was conducted with Anne at his side, who had tea with the little white haired lady who had been by his side for over forty years. Anne smiled at her descriptions of the perils of being married to the town doctor, noting the twinkle and the gentle pride in Mrs Stewart's face. She patted Anne's knee with a bright smile.

"Take it from me, dear. All he needs from you is a listening ear, a strong stomach, and for you to help him to escape from everyone else's troubles when he's with you. That's all you ever need to do."

Anne looked at the two men talking, watching Gilbert demonstrating something with his hands as Doctor Stewart was showing him his case books. She gave the lady a warm smile. "I only hope I can do it as well as you have, Mrs Stewart."

At three o clock the two of them stood outside the hotel, their bags in hand. Gilbert had phoned from the reception desk through to speak to his father on the new line, and Cora had all but flown to the buggy in a whirlwind of excitement as soon as she heard that Anne and Gilbert were both in White Sands- although with all of the receivers down, Gilbert chose to say nothing of the reason for them being there, only saying they had caught the train from Charlottetown as a surprise. They would be picking them up soon from the address Gilbert had given them, and Anne had watched him as he spoke, a curious look on her face.

With his bags in one hand, and Anne's hand in the other, he glanced at her. "I asked Dad to pick us up from somewhere that I want to show you," he said slowly. "You're so much better than I am at believing in serendipity- in looking beyond the facts and figures. But even I find this one hard to see as anything other than kismet."

Anne gave him a startled glance. "Gilbert?"

He only smiled, as they walked up a nearby street that overlooked the ocean. They walked past tidy houses as the street rose, before the space opened out to a dark wood. The pine trees were blowing in the sea breeze, their melody haunting. To the right of the wood was a lane, and Gilbert gave her a careful look as he led her along it. A row of birch trees was on either side, and at the bend in the road, Anne stopped suddenly. Gilbert stood watching her, holding his breath. The dark wood seemed to stretch protective arms around a little house at the top of the hill, a white house with fat chimneys, and faded green shutters on the windows. She placed her bags down on the grass, and moved in wonder to the gate, where an archway of pink roses like those of Patty's Place rose above it.

He heard her murmur " _sea and hill and wood-_ "; her tone amazed as she looked at the beauty around her. "Gilbert, what is this place?"

He had come alongside her, watching her with hesitant eyes. "It's not what it _is_ , it's what it _could_ be." He drew in a deep breath, his cheeks flushing. "I- I guess I first saw it a long time ago. It sounds funny to say it out loud, but it's as if I knew the place as soon as I saw it. It's what I pictured when I thought about bringing you home after- after we are married. And this morning I just wanted to look at if before I came to get you- and- I could hardly believe it myself- but it's for sale, Anne-girl."

Anne's cheeks paled, as she looked at the tidy fence. "But there is no sign now- what if-"

Gilbert placed his hands on her waist and drew her to him. "I asked them to take it down. Just until you could see it. I don't know what it's like on the inside- I don't know how much they want for it. But with the amount that we've saved together- I wondered if maybe this could be our home." Here, his voice faltered.

Anne looked at him, tears springing to her eyes. Gilbert, so practical and determined and ambitious- and she knew that when it came to her, these things fell to one side in place for the deep intuition within. Anne _knew_ the romance and passion that beat within his heart, the things within that called to her, that yearned for knowledge and adventure and wildness- the heart that could understand her own. She kissed him tenderly under the rose covered archway, the spicy scent lingering in the air like a benediction. When she pulled away, her eyes met his with all the love she had for him.

"Then let's go see together."

With a look of sunlight on his face, Gilbert took Anne's hand in his, and together they walked up the pathway to the little house on the hill for the very first time.

The End.

* * *

 *** "** The love of your life studying medicine is waiting for you in your office."

 **Beloved people!**

 **Thank you to everyone who has been on the whole One More Day With You and When Tomorrow Comes journey with me. For those who took a chance on me from the very first chapter of Golden Days, and all those who have joined in along the way; thank you. It's been an epic journey for me, and epic in length for everyone- but it has been a wonderful learning experience. I will most likely never write anything this long again- although I loved every bit of it. I'm grateful for those who have liked my story, and I'm even more grateful for those who pushed me to make it a better one. You know who you are, lovely ladies. I hope you can recognise the characters we love in these stories, and that it's brought you pleasure along the way.**

 **There is a song that to me was always linked to this story, called How can we see that Far, by Amy Grant. There's a wistfulness to it that I love, and thematically it's perfect- in the beginning of love we can't see what life will bring, and if we did see the extent of what could happen it we would want to run- but we can choose to go on the journey and trust that love will be enough to see us through. To me this was the journey of When Tomorrow Comes.**

 **Now, I promised that I would tell you how it all plays out- however I'm not going to. I started OMDWY saying it would play out in a thoroughly canon manner- but as you can see, I went all AU on this AU. I won't tell you yet. Because there is a third story to be told, making this little (gigantic) story into a trilogy. Ta daa! Isn't that every writer's dream? It will feature the first year of this Anne and Gil's marriage, incorporating the time at Queens and med school. This, however won't be happening for a while. I'm going dark on here for a time because much to my surprise, there's another story in the wings that needs to come first.**

 _ **I have a brand new idea.**_

 **Completely took me by surprise. And I'm so excited about it that it took an amazing amount of willpower to actually finish this one first. It was inspired by a comment that someone made, that no matter what, Anne and Gilbert would always end up together. The romantic in me can't help but agree, so I am taking yet another plunge into AU territory, with an Anne and Gilbert who never reconciled, never learned how the other one really felt. It's set six years after the events of Convocation, and the story takes place in Glen St Mary. It's going to be a very different sort of story, I hope (and a much shorter story too- for me, anyway) with an older and understandably different Anne and Gil. This Anne is very broken after the death of Marilla, and an accident that leaves her needing a new beginning far from Avonlea.**

 **The gauntlet has been laid down. So coming soon, will be the brand new Shore of Dreams. I hope you will join me for that then.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has left reviews, they have blessed me so much- that you take the time to do such a thing blesses my socks off- and sometimes I think some of your reviews themselves are more lovely than the chapters in question- Julie, Rebecca and Original Mcfishie, I'm talking to you….**

 **Lastly, special thanks to Katherine-with-a-K, hecalledmeCarrots, Alinyaalethia, LizzyEastwood, Formerly known as J, and Kim Blythe (Kim, Thanks for your help with the translations to French for this chapter!) - you are beautiful writers, the lot of you- you inspire me with your stories and perspectives, you review like rock stars, and make this so very fun to do together. Thank heavens there will always be stories for us to tell.**

 **Love to you all,**

 **Cate.**


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